Tennis AEGON GB Pro-Series tennis competition: Highlights from Wednesday
Heather Watson on Wednesday recorded one of the greatest victories of her professional life, as she brushed aside Sabine Lisicki at the AEGON GB Pro-Series Shrewsbury.
The 18-year-old tennis player from Guernsey got the better of her second seeded foe to make her way into the quarterfinal round of the competition. The final match score was 7-6(5), 6-2.
"It was a great victory for me today. I performed extremely well and felt much more confident and ready in my today’s match, as compared to the previous one. I do practice with Lisicki in Florida, however, this was the very first occasion that I have ever
played her in a clash for real, and I am pleased that I made it into the next round,” said Watson after the match on Wednesday.
She further added, "I had a great support of the crowd in my today’s match, and it really lifted my confidence. I was more determined to win it for my supporters. This is my first $75k competition and I am really excited to play here. Hopefully, I will play
well in the next matches as well.”
Heather is currently the number four Brit in the women's singles WTA rankings, and is ranked number 211 in the world by the Women Tennis Association (WTA).
Her victory over Sabine, who is ranked number 90 in the world, gives Heather her third win versus a top hundred player following her victories over the world number forty eight, Aleksandra Wozniak as well as Tsvetana Pironkova who is ranked number 81, at
the AEGON International tennis tournament back in June.
Nigel Sears, who is the head of the LTA Women’s Tennis, said after Heather’s victory, “This was a great victory for Watson on an indoor court versus a strong hitter. To have a win over a contender who was ranked number twenty two back in 2009 is going to
be a big confidence booster for her without any question.”
Watson as a result of this victory will next play either Birnerova or Hogenkamp in the quarters.
There was another good result for a Scottish contender as Naomi Broady managed to upset her seventh seeded foe, Iryna Kuryanovich in an impressive two-setter clash. The final match score was 6-3, 6-2.
Naomi is currently the number seven Brit at her career highest ranking of world number 26, and will next meet either Bertens or Manasieva for a semi-final berth.
Tara Moore in her match on Wednesday was defeated by Vitalia Diatchenko, a sixth seeded Russian in a total of two sets. The final match score was 6-4, 6-3.
In the men’s draw on Wednesday, the top eight seeds will play in the men’s singles quarterfinals of the AEGON GB Pro-Series Wrexham.
A total of six British tennis players, Dan Cox, Sean Thornley, Dan Evans, Marcus Willis, Josh Milton as well as David Rice will be playing for a spot in the semi-final round of the tournament.
Dan Evans, who is seeded number one to win the title, triumphed against Briton Keelan Oakley in a total of two sets on Wednesday. The final match score was 6-4, 6-1. He will, next meet Sean Thornley who got past Takuto Niki from Japan in straight sets. The
final match score was 6-4, 6-4.
Other straight set winner was David Rice, the second seed who hammered down his French tennis foe, Nicolas Rosenzweig in a total of two sets. The final match score was 6-1, 7-5. Rice, as a result of this victory will next take on another French tennis player,
Rudy Coco.
Meanwhile, Dan Cox, who is seeded number three at the AEGON GB Pro-Series, did well to defeat Ben Pritchard in a total of two sets. The final match score was 6-2, 6-3.
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