Watson overcomes ‘heartbreaking’ second set to win fourth WTA title in Mexico

Heather Watson spoke of her relief after bouncing back from a “heartbreaking” second set to win the Mexican Open final.

The British number two triumphed 6-4 6-7 (8) 6-1 over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez to seal her fourth WTA Tour title but squandered five championship points in the second-set tie-break.

Watson eventually put the encounter to bed with her 10th match point and revealed afterwards how she dealt mentally with her second-set profligacy.

“I’m so happy to get my fourth title,” Watson said in quotes reported by wtatennis.com. “It’s been a few years, so I’m just really, really happy I came through that match.

“It was so up and down. I had those (match) points in the second set and I wasn’t able to win that, but I was really pleased with how I stayed in the moment and won that third set.

“It was heartbreaking losing the second set, but I also reminded myself that I also saved a lot of set points before that. It was so close, both of us had our chances.

“I just had to leave that set behind me, even though I had my opportunities, and just remind myself that it’s just a tennis match and it won’t be the end of the world if I don’t win. Just play every point and focus on just that one point, that next point.”

Watson last won a title in 2016, also in Mexico, and it has been a tough road since.

The 27-year-old has dipped in and out of the top 100, but she ended last season by reaching the final of the Tianjin Open and has not looked back.

She began 2020 by making the semi-finals of the Hobart International and Saturday’s victory will return her to the top 50 for the first time in nearly four years.