THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2022

Heather Watson

Press Conference

H. WATSON/K. Juvan

7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Heather, give us your thoughts. Great day.

HEATHER WATSON: Thanks, yeah. Really happy to be into the fourth round for the first time. It's the first match that I've actually got to enjoy for a bit, so it's a nice feeling and it's sort of set in a bit now.

Yeah, I thought I played really well today. I've been saying that as each match has gone by, I've been playing better and better. And, yeah, happy with my performance.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you think in terms of your career maybe that ship had sailed?

HEATHER WATSON: No chance (smiling). I wouldn't still be playing if I thought that ship had sailed.

Yeah, I've been in the third round quite a few times here at Wimbledon and Australian Open. So, yeah, I was just sort of waiting for it to happen. I waited long enough, I think, and did it in dramatic fashion (laughter).

Yeah, really happy to be into the second week of a Grand Slam for singles finally.

Q. It's 10 years since you made it through to the third round here. Does the long wait make today's win more special? Have you spoken to your mum yet?

HEATHER WATSON: Honestly, I've barely seen my mum. I only see her in the box, and she comes to my warmups because it's just so hectic when I'm doing my warmups and cool-downs. She's such a social butterfly, she's busy chatting to someone somewhere.

Yeah, she's so proud, but she always is. I've said this many times: she's a great tennis mum, very levelheaded. Win or lose, she always has that belief in me. She doesn't take the losses too hard. I think that's really important.

Q. I know you say you were expecting it to happen one day. Would you agree it's come at quite an unexpected time given the hamstring scare you had and the difficulty the last couple of years?

HEATHER WATSON: Yeah, absolutely. I was thinking that after the match. My preparation in the grass court season, like you said, I had my hamstring, I didn't have much prep going into Eastbourne, but I wanted to play anyway.

I'm a real confidence player. Going into Wimbledon without those matches under my belt, you know, I didn't expect it. But then again, I didn't look too far ahead. I only just took it one match at a time. Once you get through that, it gives you a bit of confidence, then it just keeps growing from there on.

Yeah, I feel like I played very well today and I can't wait for the next one.

Q. You spoke on court about watching the other Brits' matches, you watched them on replay. Is that something you do every year? Is this kind of different? How did it spur you on?

HEATHER WATSON: I'm a massive tennis fan, Wimbledon fan. All day I'm there watching matches, even when I'm waiting to go on court on the BBC iPlayer. It's great. You can watch all of them.

Yeah, watching Liam's match yesterday as well, and Katie's on Centre. Cam, he's always there, always doing great every week. Just over the grass court period in general, so many players have done really well. We're a little tight-knit group, so we're a lot closer and very supportive of each other.

Seeing them do well definitely spurs me on.

Q. In terms of being closer, how has that dynamic changed over the last few years?

HEATHER WATSON: Do you know what? I think what brought us together was during COVID, we had those Battle of the Brits tournaments. I feel like since then everyone has become a lot closer. I think there's a lot of credit for those events that happened in people's form and people coming together and supporting each other.

Q. At the end when you went onto the court, you went down on your knees, what were you doing there and what were you thinking?

HEATHER WATSON: Well, I was thinking that I've made it to the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time, because that has been a goal of mine for, like, 10 years. The closest I was to that was my match against Serena in 2015, I think it was, I was two points away there. That was the first time I think I'd set that goal for myself then. That year was to reach second week of a Grand Slam.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Just proud of myself for getting over the line.

Q. Did you actually kiss the ground?

HEATHER WATSON: No, I just had my head on the floor. I had my eyes shut and I was just taking in the moment, and thanking the grass. Not for my slips, though (smiling).

Q. A broader question. You obviously spent some key developmental years overseas, away from the UK. Could you speak a little bit to the difference in approach that there maybe is over in the U.S. A lot of young players now in the UK game end up over in the U.S. through the college system, and whether you've seen a change in the approach in British tennis since then that maybe reflects the seepages coming in from overseas?

HEATHER WATSON: Well, I moved to the States at 12. It was a great decision for me. I absolutely loved going to school there, training there. Not just from a tennis perspective, but from a life perspective, as well. I've made some lifelong friends there.

I think the weather helps a lot, because tennis, we chase the sun. So having that there, particularly in Florida where I was, helps.

I think especially for the men's game, going to college over there, because sports in America is huge, especially in the collegiate system. You see quite a few Brits going there. Especially in doubles, they come back and do great here.

Yeah, I mean, America is doing so good at tennis at the moment. There's such little noise made about it I find because in America you have all these massive team sports like the NFL, baseball.

I feel like the players from America don't get enough credit. So many of the top seeds, especially on the women's side here, are all American. They have a lot of strength and depth.

Q. Can you talk through the emotions of that second set. You were 5-nil up, seemingly about to win quite comfortably. How did you process into the final game? Were you starting to wonder whether it was going to slip away?

HEATHER WATSON: I thought we had a really competitive first set. I mean, it was anyone's game there. Then once I grabbed that first set I feel like I maintained my level and she dropped hers, started to give me a few free points. But I also stayed steady up until 5-Love and I thought she raised her level.

Yeah, those last three games were so close. There wasn't much in it. It kept going back and forth, deuce/ad. She was coming up with some great shots so I had to give her credit for that.

I didn't really panic because I was thinking clearly and well aware that she had raised her level. Yeah, I was surprisingly calm actually. I've been practicing really well heading into this match. I really believed that I was going to do it, even if it was a bit of fighting at the end.

I'd also watched her match from the previous round. She produced her best tennis at 5-4, 40-Love down in the first set, and ended up winning that. So I had that in the back of my mind, as well.

I know when her back's against the wall, she produces some good stuff. I think that's why I was calm, because I was prepared for it.

Q. The final point, you had a volley to win, what was your immediate thought when you saw the ball drop?

HEATHER WATSON: Firstly I just thought, Throw yourself at this ball, do anything you can to get it over the net. That's what I did. Then, yeah, it's all just a blur. I just stuck my hands in the air. I feel like that's my go-to, just throw both hands up.

Yeah, just pure happiness.

Q. How does this rate in your tennis career? Because you've had a funny few days, you had to deal with scheduling, rain, split matches. You've got here, to the fourth round. How do you rate it?

HEATHER WATSON: Yeah, earlier I said it's the first time I get to enjoy this win because I feel like in my first two matches I was just constantly in, like, focus mode because it was like the match hadn't stopped even when I was leaving the club, it's been suspended, I'm going to sleep or trying to sleep. It was always just straight on to the next one.

So I feel like this win's very different to the others, not just because I've reached one of my goals but because I have a bit of time for it to sink in.

Q. Do you think this is your finest moment? When you go home tonight, will you think, Yeah, this is the best thing I've ever done?

HEATHER WATSON: I don't really think of it like that because I'm still in the tournament. I actually don't know who I play next. I didn't look at the draw. I haven't been looking at the draw.

Yeah, all I'm really focused on is my doubles later with Harriet. It never ends. Loads of tennis, but that's a good thing. Just making sure I just take care of myself. I'm just sort of in the moment right now, not thinking ahead, not thinking back.

Q. The game against Serena, the closest you've ever come to the fourth round, to be so close. Over the years has that been quite psychologically difficult to expunge from your mind, even today?

HEATHER WATSON: No, I actually think the further I get in a tournament, the more relaxed I get because my confidence builds, and also I'm proud of myself for getting to that point in the first place.

I think that shows in my results; the deeper I get in a tournament, the better I do. So, yeah, I was very calm coming in today. I lost to Juvan in the US Open at the end of last year so I know how well she can play. She's a very crafty player, has pretty much everything: great hands, slices, comes to the net. We're quite similar in that sense.

I think it's because I respect all the players on tour. I know how well everyone can play on their day. And the depth in the women's game... That just keeps me levelheaded.

Q. I suspect if someone at the beginning of the tournament had said you'll be playing the world No. 97 for a place in the quarterfinals, you might have taken it. She seems to be a real rising star.

HEATHER WATSON: Juvan?

Q. Jule Niemeier, who you're playing in the next round.

HEATHER WATSON: Oh, Niemeier. I didn't know that.

Yes, I played her in Monterrey this year. She's a good player, really good player. Rankings, honestly, I don't care what people's rankings are. Everybody's good.

Yeah, I'm glad I have played her. It's just sinking in now because I haven't processed it. But, yeah, she's a really good player, a great talent. When I played her, she was outside the top hundred. I remember saying to my team, This girl will be top hundred in no time.

Yeah, it will be a tough match. She's one for the future. Yeah, going to go home, do my homework on that after doubles.

Q. Can I just ask, tell us a little bit about how you came to be working with Coach Veronelli again and the impact that had.

HEATHER WATSON: Yeah, I started working with Diego maybe 10 years ago, something like that. I don't know exactly, but a while ago. He was sort of new on tour.

Yeah, we were a great team for a few years. We didn't end badly or anything. Just wanted to try something new.

He's always been for me, in my opinion, one of the best coaches I've ever had. Not just that, we have a really strong relationship. He's like family. Even when we weren't coach and player after we split, we've always been in touch. He's always supported me.

That's a really big thing for me. I feel like he's not just a coach, he's really invested in me, my personal life. He wants to see me happy off the court and see me succeed on the court.

Yeah, we started working together again mid last year. We're not together every single week. He also does, like, TV work and stuff. Also at this point in my career, I like to do some weeks just me.

I'm very happy to have him back onboard and he'll be around here and there.