Heather Watson aims to get her 2014 season back on track in China
Heather Watson is aiming to get her season back on an upward track in China over the next week
British No1 Heather Watson aims to get her season back on an upward track in China over the next week after back-to-back first-round losses at the US Open and then, earlier this week, at the Korea Open.
But despite breaking back into the top 50 this summer after an illness-marred 2013, Watson finds herself playing the qualifying rounds in one of the new tournaments on the tour, the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.
And that is because Wuhan, which has replaced Tokyo as the fifth and final Premier 5 event on the WTA calendar, has attracted the entire top 20 to the home of its most famous daughter, Li Na, all drawn by the 900 points on offer to the eventual champion.
The main draw will be headed by Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova, but although Li is also scheduled to take part, she has not played since her third-round exit at Wimbledon, hampered by a persistent knee injury.
Watson, seeded No3 in qualifying, begins her campaign against France’s Kristina Mladenovic, and, if successful, will then have to beat either Francesca Schiavone or Alison Man Uytvanck to seal a place in the main draw.
