Heather Watson defeats Chang Kai-chen to win Japan Open

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Heather Watson

Heather Watson has become the first British woman to win a WTA singles title since 1988 after beating Chang Kai-chen in the Japan Open final.

Watson, who had served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, saved four match points when 5-4 down in the third.

The world number 71 recovered to win in the deciding tie-break, coming through 7-5 5-7 7-6 (7-4).

Sara Gomer was the last British woman to win on the tour, four years before 20-year-old Watson was born.

"I'm going to be sleeping with a smile on my face tonight," Watson told BBC Radio 5 live afterwards.

"In the second set I served for the match, had one match point and I double faulted, not because I was nervous, but because I went for it.

"The whole match from start to finish was so close and such a mental battle. Kai-chen was playing unbelievable and I just had to hang in there.

"But I just took it point by point and I don't know how I did it, but I did.

"Now I've got the title and I'm so happy. This ranks as one of the best days of my life."

Watson's win in Osaka comes less than a month after compatriot Laura Robson made it to the final of the Guangzhou Open in China, becoming the first British woman to reach a WTA singles final since Jo Durie in 1990.

Watson had not previously gone past the quarter-finals of a WTA event and will now replace Robson as the British number one.

The 2009 US Open girls' champion earned 16 break points but conceded 17 in a see-saw battle with world number 134 Chang.

Watson broke four times in the first set, only to drop her serve three times in the second to let the 21-year-old from Chinese Taipei back in to the contest.

And Chang, who beat Sam Stosur in the semi-finals, looked set for victory when she held three match points when serving in the 10th game of the decider.

But the Guernsey player fought back and sealed the biggest success of her career with her second match point in the tie-break.

Shortly after beating Chang, Watson returned to the court as she bid to become the first Briton to win both the singles and doubles at the same WTA tournament since Anne Hobbs in 1985.

She reached the doubles final alongside Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm, but they lost 6-1 6-4 to United States pair Abigail Spears and Raquel Kops-Jones.

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281 comments

  • Comment posted by Toe2Toe, at 09:01 14 Oct 2012

    Wonderful news Heather!!

    Well done!!!

  • Comment posted by martymorg, at 09:03 14 Oct 2012

    Well done Heather. @ Rotter, Dirk You're an embarrassment. We see people like you everyday trying to chip away at peoples self respect and achievements because you just enjoy doing it. No other reason. Find some friends and just get out of the house, you'll be a lot less bitter about other people doing well

  • Comment posted by U15223369, at 09:33 14 Oct 2012

    Very well done Heather. Period.

    Pity to see so many other irrelevant comments here though.

  • Comment posted by Warren1981, at 10:53 14 Oct 2012

    Whether it be Murray, Robson or Watson, these threads descend into a childish debate about heritage. It's thoroughly shameful & disrespectful to the players concerned. They all choose to represent Britain & should be afforded the support of British tennis followers for that.

    Well done Heather, especially having being overlooked in favour of Robson recently.

    DC- think she'll go up to 50th.

  • Comment posted by EnglebertHumpnerdinck, at 09:35 14 Oct 2012

    Stuff all the other stuff or comments belittling her achievement.....

    Congratulations and bl**dy well done! Enjoy the moment you've done really well

  • Comment posted by Johno, at 10:31 14 Oct 2012

    Well done Miss Watson!!!! Its great that Miss Watson and Miss Robson are moving upwards and onwards; here is hoping that they become seeded in a major. As for this petty whether they are "English" or "British", ask the player themselves. I am a proud scot, but I am also British as the passport I carry says BRITISH.

  • Comment posted by Nick E, at 09:40 14 Oct 2012

    Congratulations! So pleased. As for the strange BNP sounding comments down below you conveniently left Naomi Broady off your list of British players to make your point valid. but if you'd heard any of Watson, Robson, Baltacha, Keothavong or Tara Moore speak you'd realise they are all as British as they come and proud to BE British. The Uk is a melting pot of diversity. Get with the 21st Century.

  • Comment posted by lisson17, at 10:09 14 Oct 2012

    Well done Heather!!

    Why does it matter that it's a smaller tournament? Winning tournaments like these is how younger players develop. This is a huge achievement for Heather, and a stepping stone in the right direction for what hopefully will be a brilliant career.

    Is there a reason people have to be so negative about everything? Get a life and stop picking on other people's achievements.

  • Comment posted by martymorg, at 09:29 14 Oct 2012

    @ Dirk. Your strategy for dealing with your embarrassment for your posts seems to be telling people who criticize you to relax and calm down. Remember that it was you who came onto a board that was congratulating this girl for her achievement and left your desperate post. Who needs to relax more? It is painful to watch.

  • Comment posted by wordsmith1000, at 09:23 14 Oct 2012

    Dirk you twerp. Go troll elsewhere

  • Comment posted by bengate, at 08:32 14 Oct 2012

    Great result, I look forward to seeing Watson and Laura Robson push each other onward and upward over the next few years.

  • Comment posted by Russeljones, at 08:29 14 Oct 2012

    This is a momentous occasion, well done to Ms Watson.

  • Comment posted by Mathna, at 11:13 14 Oct 2012

    @140. I totally agree. Trolls stalk these pages and the moderators do little about it. Whatever the subject the same names, the same embittered cynicism , the same petty obsessions crop up time and time again.
    As for Heather Watson. Well done lady..

  • Comment posted by U15423336, at 09:55 14 Oct 2012

    A note to those who say that Heather got lucky with her draw in a weak tournament.

    So what? It's not her fault Stosur fell in the semis, and there have been dozens of low tier WTA tournaments since 88, and not one of the was won by a British woman, until now. Heather deserves all the credit for breaking that streak.

    And as Andy Murray said after his US Open win, you always need a bit of luck.

  • Comment posted by U14665040, at 09:17 14 Oct 2012

    Murray wins ,Watson wins, it ain't supposed to be like this!LOL
    Flipping BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    These people have worked so hard so it is great to see it rewarded by success.
    The Australians are NOT amused! Been a long time coming

  • Comment posted by U14324186, at 11:37 14 Oct 2012

    I think the BBC should consider removing the option to comment on their stories. Too often the comments descend into people airing offensive and sometimes borderline racist views. I used to enjoy reading people's comments an opinions on sports stories, but too often now it is just bickering and insults. Dull.

  • Comment posted by U10527216, at 09:15 14 Oct 2012

    Well done Heather. Ignore comments from the usual idiots trying to play down this achievement.

  • Comment posted by robert, at 08:45 14 Oct 2012

    A real shame we couldnt hear some commentary on what from the scoreline looks like a great match. I was watching the live scores from the WTA official website, just like watching the football scores from teletext or ceefax in the old days! Well done Heather, you will go onto greater victories iin the future I am sure.

  • Comment posted by U14787692, at 08:39 14 Oct 2012

    Fantastic! Well done Heather- you make all Brit tennis fans proud. Isn't it wonderful that we have two young women pushing for titles? As someone who remembers, it was the 70's since we had it so good! Go Andy later today!

  • Comment posted by U15459977, at 11:32 14 Oct 2012

    This is my first ever post I have just registered because I was disgusted at the nonsense about heritage. I just hope our successful British tennis star Heather Watson does not read all the nonsense about heritage.
    Please stop writing about heritage.
    Heather-Perhaps 1 more WTA tournament and then 2 months training and then you can go far in the Australian open. I cant wait GO FOR IT HEATHER!!!

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