Heather Watson
Q: How important is Eastbourne for your Wimbledon preparations?
Watson: Eastbourne is the tournament before Wimbledon and everyone wants to get in a few matches here on the grass. It is tough today, it’s raining and there is bad weather tomorrow so it looks like it could be indoors a little bit. But I’ve had some practice on grass already, last week in Birmingham and the week before in Nottingham. I’m really enjoying it so hopefully this week goes well.
Q: How do you feel about the progress you are making, Heather?
: I’m really pleased with my progress, I’ve cracked the top 100 now which was my goal, end of year goal and I just want to keep it going, keep improving, getting fitter and becoming a better player.
Q: Elena Baltacha has talked about how she thinks it’s good there is this healthy rivalry between you. How do you feel about that?
Watson: It’s really good – we are putting each other along and it’s great to see her doing well. She’s playing the final today, I don’t know whether she has played it already, in Nottingham. It’s great to have someone more experienced and who has been at the top as like a leader for me. She’s someone who can tell me about the tour and everything. It’s great to spur each other on when we are doing well.
Q: They could have given you and easier draw couldn’t they?
Watson: Yeah, it’s a great opportunity though. I’m really looking forward to it.
Q: Have you played here before?
Watson: No, she’s going to be the highest ranked player I’ve ever played.
Q: You have got nothing to lose…
Watson: Yeah, nothing at all.
Q: With the rain, how does that affect your preparations with the rain?
Watson: It’s tough today, I think I’m practicing indoors this afternoon. I would normally practice twice today but it’s difficult and I don’t want to get too used to the hard courts. It’s tricky but it’s the same for everyone.
Q: How much are you enjoying your tennis at the moment? You seem like a really bubbly character off the court and on the court you really seem to enjoy yourself as well.
Watson: I’m just enjoying life at the moment. I’m not putting too much pressure on myself because previously I have been doing that and losing some very close matches which I should have won just because I have put too much pressure on myself and gotten tight. But it’s working a lot better now and it’s working on and off the court and my results are showing as well.
Q: How are you finding adapting to grass because you don’t get that long really before a major tournament going from Paris on the clay to Wimbledon to sort of get used to a new surface.
Watson: Yeah it’s tough. Clay and grass couldn’t be more different but I think I’ve converted pretty well and I feel like I’m playing well and I’ve got a lot of confidence.
Q: You’ve already had a great year but what would represent success for you over the next month? What would you say you’d like to achieve?
Watson: Just to keep climbing the rankings and take everything I can and learn as much as I can especially from this next match coming up against Vera. Just get fitter and stronger and become a better player.
Q: How are the likes of Zvonareva when you walk past them in the locker room – do they just bang you with their bags and not look at you or…
Watson: No, they are actually really nice. The higher up they are, the nicer they are actually. It’s more down in the rankings where it is more cut throat and everyone is just trying to get into the top 100 and into these WTAs but it’s nice to be around players.
Q: How does it feel to be in the main draw alongside the Williams sisters?
Watson: It’s great – I’m pretty close to Serena in the draw. So that’s really exciting.
