‘I’m so happy to get my fourth title,’ says Heather Watson after ending trophy drought

WTA Tour
Heather Watson Acapulco trophy

Heather Watson is back in the WTA Tour trophy winners’ circle for the first time since 2016 after beating Leylah Fernandez to win the Mexican Open title.

The British No 2 needed 10 match points to beat the Canadian teenager 6-4, 6-7 (8-10), 6-1 in two hours and 47 minutes.

Watson, who will climb back into world top 50 after the win, raced into a commanding 4-0 lead in the opening set with two breaks, but Fernandez hit back in a marathon second set.

After trading breaks early on, it went to a tie-breaker and the Canadian saved five match points before levelling it at one set each on her sixth set point.

But the 17-year-old couldn’t replicate that success in the decider as Watson broke twice and eased to victory, although she did need another five match points.

“I’m so happy to get my fourth title,” Watson, whose previous title came in Monterrey in 2016, said. “It’s been a few years, so I’m just really, really happy I came through that match.”

She added: “I’ve played Leylah two times before this, and I knew what to expect. She’s a great player, and it would be really tough because the two matches before that had been really tough. The thing I notice about her the most is the head on her shoulders. She’s very, very mature for her age.”

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Heather Watson Leylah Fernandez

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