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Heather Watson: Guernsey star targets Olympics tennis medal


Heather Watson says she is focused on trying to win a first Olympic medal in Paris.

The 32-year-old from Guernsey will compete at her fourth Games for Team GB, partnering Katie Boulter in the women’s doubles and Joe Salisbury in the mixed doubles.

Watson’s best result came in the 2016 Olympics in Rio where she and Andy Murray reached the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles.

“My aim is to just enjoy every moment and embrace the total experience, but this Games I really feel I’m going to focus on trying my best to get a medal,” Watson told BBC Radio Guernsey.

She and Boulter will begin their women’s doubles campaign against Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Laura Siegemund, while Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Felix Auger are Watson and Salisbury’s opponents in their mixed doubles opener.

“I feel like I’ve got a good chance, being in the doubles and the mixed doubles,” he added.

“I’ve been playing with Joe in the mixed doubles this last 12 months and we’re a great team, so I really back us and I hope we can finish this Olympics on even more of a high.”

Watson – whose best Grand Slam singles appearance was reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2022 – has arguably had her best success in doubles.

She won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2016 with Finland’s Henri Kontinen and the pair again reached the final 12 months later.

Watson, who is 141st in the WTA rankings, says focusing on a fourth Olympics has been her goal for some time.

“It was the biggest goal for me this last 12 months to make another Olympic Games,” she added.

“I’m at the back end of my career now so I think I just appreciate moments like this even more.

“I’m here to win. I’d do anything to get a medal, so I’m looking forward to getting out on that court and giving it my absolute best effort.”



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