Watson wins first WTA singles title
Twenty-year-old Heather Watson became the first British woman to win a WTA Tour singles title in 24 years when she defeated Chang Kai-Chen, 7-5, 5-7, 7-6(4) in the final of the HP Open in Osaka, Japan today. This was Watson’s first career WTA Tour Singles Final and she saved four match points in the third set to claim the title.
“I was in the changing room afterwards, changing my clothes, and I thought to myself, ‘Did I really win?’ So it’s just starting to settle in,” Watson said. “I’ve worked so hard for this moment my whole career — that’s why I practiced so hard, ran all those miles and lifted all those weights, for moments like this.”
Watson, the 2009 Jr. US Open Champion, also reached the doubles final in Osaka with Kimiko Date-Krumm. She has won two WTA Tour Doubles Titles in 2012 (Stanford and Dallas).
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