US Open 2011: Heather Watson/Laura Robson how it happened

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By Chris Bevan

2301: So, one British debutant is through to round two of the US Open, and one British debutant bites the dust. Laura Robson is the player progressing, after Japan's Ayumi Morita retired injured during their match, but Heather Watson can hold her head high after a battling defeat against Maria Sharapova. At times it threatened to be so much more for the Guernsey girl... but it was not to be. Thanks for keeping me company, I hope you enjoyed those matches as much as I did. Cheerio for now.

izzietherascal on Twitter: "I can honestly say I haven't seen a Brit woman play better tennis in YEARS! Well played Watson!"

neilcheese62 on Twitter: "Well Watson can take heart from today's performance and gives her an idea where she needs to aim. Well played both players."

Watson 6-3 5-7 3-6
Sharapova wrong-foots Watson to go 30-0 up, and is two points from victory. Even with Heather's will-power, and even with Sharapova so error-prone, there is no way back. She saves one match-point at 40--0, but sees a forehand sail long on the next point, and the Russian third seed survives to reach round two.

2254: MARIA SHARAPOVA BEATS HEATHER WATSON 3-6 7-5 6-3 TO REACH THE SECOND ROUND OF THE US OPEN

Watson 6-3 5-7 3-5 * Sharapova
Some response by Pova, who charges to 0-40, helped by a net-cord that drops dead on Heather's side of the net. Watson pulls one break-point back but Maria charges in to meet a weak second serve on the next point, screaming like a banshee as she despatches a forehand that Watson reaches but cannot get back. The third seed will serve for the match next.
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KevcaMel on Twitter: "What a match this is. Sharapova and Watson. Both on top of their game. Goin all the way! Great entertainment..."

* Watson 6-3 5-7 3-4 Sharapova
Watson reminds me a bit of Scrappy-Doo. Yes, the odds are against her, yes she is massively out-gunned, but does she care? Nope. "Lemme at em" could be her war-cry. The crowd on Arthur Ashe love her too - for the quality of her tennis as well as her gutsy approach - but I suspect Sharapova will be glad to see the back of her. That is not happening just yet, because ANOTHER Pova double-fault hands Watson a break-back point, and she takes it when Pova hits a backhand long. We are back on serve in the decider. Hands up who had written Heather off? Hands up who wishes they hadn't...
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Watson 6-3 5-7 2-4 * Sharapova
At 15-30, Watson is dancing dangerously again, but Sharapova is still chucking in the odd sloppy shot to keep her alive. The Russian seems to react to every error by taking it out on the ball, and another venomous forehand brings her to 30-40 and break-point. Watson's wits take her to deuce but Heather is having to put in a heck of a shift for every point, and she is soon fighting fires again after netting a wide backhand. Can she hold? Yes. Pova fires a forehand wide and can only net a return. The fight goes on.
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LackJevey on Twitter: "Yes Watson is young, but is that such an excuse? Pova won Wimbledon at 17, Watson just happens to be playing a monster today."

* Watson 6-3 5-7 1-4 Sharapova
Sharapova opens with one of the worst double faults I have ever seen - her second serve (almost) landed in the lap of a bloke on the front row behind Watson. She responds with a typically brutal winner - and a typically ear-piercing scream - but Watson digs in to take the next rally. That's as good as it gets for the Guernsey girl, though, because Pova's powerplay gets her out of trouble. She holds with ace number five - Watson has not managed one today.
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Watson 6-3 5-7 1-3 * Sharapova
Heather might look done and dusted but she is fighting on just the same. Pova can smell and probably taste victory at 15-40 but Watson responds with a magical 1-2-3 of big serve, forehand and volleyed winner and gets a glimmer of hope on the next point when a Pova forehand drifts wide. Maria challenges but knows the call was right. Watson just keeps on battling too, and her pure determination alone almost sees her hold... helped by some sloppy play by Pova too. Her first game in five, and boy did she need it. This one is not over yet...
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michaelweaver84 on Twitter: "Pova has not lost a 3 setter all season."

* Watson 6-3 5-7 0-3 Sharapova
Watson deserves a medal for the ground she has covered today - she has given everything, making Pova play not just one extra shot, but two or three to finish a rally off. All that effort brings scant reward here, and even Hawkeye is against her, as Pova challenges a winner that was wrongly called out. Whatever Heather has got left in the tank after two hours on court, she needs to find it in the next game.
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angrygeometry on Twitter: "Watson is still young, and Pova has been making her work extremely hard for those points. Not sure how much she has left."

Watson 6-3 5-7 0-2 * Sharapova
Watson is hanging on desperately here, as the shadows lenghen at Arthur Ashe Stadium. She saves two break-points but hardly helps her cause when she dumps a gimme forehand in the net from point-blank range. Hawkeye comes to her rescue on the next point, when she leaves a looping forehand which is called in... then shown to be out. Sharapova then gets her footwork horribly wrong to take her unforced error count up to 42. Watson has made 21, but that is soon 22 when she flops a forehand into the net. What next? A stinging forehand return winner by Pova off a weak Watson second serve before Heather nets a forehand after a succession of defiant shots, which were all in vain. Sharapova breaks. The beginning of the end? Possibly.
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PulpGrape on Twitter: "Sense of de ja vu here. Watson will no doubt lose to the better player and we'll reflect on what could have been."

bur_brain on Twitter: "Sharapova clearly has not read the script."

* Watson 6-3 5-7 0-1 Sharapova
Gulp. Pova is cranking up her forehand now. She hit 16 winners in that second set, and most of them were from that wing. Mind you she made 24 unforced errors and I'm sure you could say the same for them. The third set is under way, and Pova holds with ease, and to love. Time to see what Watson has got up her sleeve... well, she's wearing a sleeveless top but you know what I mean.
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2205: None of us want another 'plucky Brit' hard-luck story do we? Or do we? Anyway, is there any way Heather Watson will win this match now? Do let me know. I'm Chris Bevan, and you can tweet me at @chrisbevan_bbc using the hashtag #BBCTennis please. Or feel free to text me via 81111 (UK) instead.

SECOND SET

Watson 6-3 5-7 0-0 * Sharapova
Pova keeps attacking, and it is Watson who cracks. We have not seen many unforced errors by the Brit but she chooses exactly the wrong time to throw in a couple of sloppy forehands, the sort of shot she has been playing without thinking all day. After an hour and 39 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Sharapova is level at one-set all.
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* Watson 6-3 5-6 Sharapova
Watson's got guts, we know that now. But so has Pova. At 30-all and after a couple of silly errors, she could crack, because many players would. But she keeps pummelling those groundstrokes and, whether she is brave or stupid, she finds the lines. A big hold.
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Watson 6-3 5-5 * Sharapova
Sharapova is not just chucking the kitchen sink at this match, she's yanked out the fridge and washing machine too and is hurling them at the Guernsey teenager. Watson is getting everything back, though, and she needs to. At 0-30 she is on the brink but gets her reward for her resilience, forcing an error out of the Russian and yelping with delight when she repeats the trick at 30-all. Heather's not just about staying power, though, because her next shot is a sizzling forehand winner down the line - took us all by surprise, that one. Pova slams her next forehand into the tramlines and we are level again at 5-5. Phew.
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artw86 on Twitter: "This match is so tense that I may have to take Sharapova off mute."

British number one Elena Baltacha on 5 live sports extra: "A lot of the players are talking about this match in the locker room, it's very, very exciting."

* Watson 6-3 4-5 Sharapova
Super stuff from both players, with Watson scampering to run down a drop-shot and reply with a peach into the far corner. Sharapova, meanwhile, smacks down a ferocious backhand winner to go 30-15 up and takes the next point after an epic rally. She eventually holds but Watson is giving her one heck of a test here. These two players are separated by 100 places in the WTA rankings but you wouldn't know it watching them.
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Watson 6-3 4-4 * Sharapova
A huge let-off for Watson at 15-30, who does well to entice Pova into the net but makes a mess of her follow-up lob and is grateful to see the third seed scrambling before putting her volley well wide. Two big serves from Heather help her hold again, but do I need to tell you that Maria threw in a forehand error along the way? That is 34 now, and counting. All square in the second set.
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sanj06 on Twitter: "Let's go Watson Let' go! Great break but I guess I'm stating the obvious by saying she HAS to win this set! She ain't winning in three."

* Watson 6-3 3-4 Sharapova
This is more like it. Maria makes a mess of another serve to leave us at 30-all, then plants a forehand in the tramlines. That's Heather's first break-point since the first game of this set. Can she take it? Er, yes she can. Pova misses with her first serve, and finds the net with her second. ANOTHER double-fault and that's a break-back for Watson. We are back on serve in the second set, and the whole of Guernsey can breathe again.
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Watson 6-3 2-4 * Sharapova
Now would be a good time for Watson to dig in, especially when she finds herself 30-all, and she does exactly that, producing a couple of big shots of her own and stopping the Pova onslaught, for a little while at least.
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From Glen from Kinsley, via text: "Pova has turned the taps on now. Only one winner I'm afraid."

Golfer Lee Westwood on Twitter: "Glad Sharapova's not playing in Crans this week! They'd hear her in Geneva! Come on Watson finish her off for the sake of our eardrums!"

* Watson 6-3 1-4 Sharapova
A sniff of a break-back for Watson at 30-all but Pova has her scurrying around the court before hitting a forehand winner plum in the corner. The next point follows the same pattern, with Maria chucking the kitchen sink at Heather, who can only keep the rally going for so long. That is four games in a row for the Russian third seed, and in double-quick time too. Ominous.
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Watson 6-3 1-3 * Sharapova
Some food for thought for Watson, who is having her worst little spell since this match started just over an hour ago. Pova hits a sizzling return winner to go 15-40 up and repeats the trick on the next point, to break for the second time in quick succession. The Russian is making more big shots and less mistakes than she was a couple of games ago. How is her serve shaping up though? A big old game for Heather coming up, because this second set might be out of reach soon if she doesn't take it.
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* Watson 6-3 1-2 Sharapova
Mind you, the way Pova's been serving, I'd fancy my chances out there at times, even without a racquet. Her first ace of the match cannot come at a better time, helping her back to 30-all when she was wobbling again. Watson is chasing everything down, and doing a good job of it, but Pova knows she can out-hit her and that is the road she goes down, stepping in to power away a forehand down the line after another lengthy exchange. Another ace sees her hold.
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Fozzygirl on Twitter: "All the Guernsey donkeys are cheering Heather on. Keep your nerve. Drown out those shrieks."

Watson 6-3 1-1 * Sharapova
One thing is for sure, Sharapova is not going to go quietly. Ahem. She slams down some HUGE forehands, while making an enormous amount of noise. The Russian is still consistently inconsistent but, at deuce, she strings together some brutal forehands over the next couple of points and simply wears Watson down. We are back on serve in the second set. Has anyone got any ear plugs?
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JamesAFarthing on Twitter: "Come on Heather, really confident, consistant and playing well. Keep it up!"

* Watson 6-3 1-0 Sharapova
Sharapova comes out, er, shrieking, at the start of the second set. Watson, though, keeps her cool and just tempts her opponent into mistakes, of which there are plenty. That tactic gets her to deuce, when Pova chucks ANOTHER double-fault into the mixer. Ouch. Her serve is shocking, but her forehand is arguably worse - her next groundstroke comes off the frame, I think, and flies into the crowd. That is 18 unforced errrors by the Russian and Heather is sitting pretty at a set and a break up. Remember, you can listen to this match on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra.
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Jeremy Bates on 5 live sports extra: "There's no question Heather can win this match. She's been the better player so far, serving consistently, while Sharapova has been erratic - I don't really know what her game plan is. It's been a very mature performance from Heather and there's no reason it can't continue."

MissREPerry on Twitter: "Come on Heather! Brilliant 1st set."

davidjmrk on Twitter: "Yes Heather! Fantastic start, don't bottle it!"

FIRST SET

Watson 6-3 0-0 * Sharapova
Watson has served impeccably so far today, so how will she do with the set on the line. Pretty well actually. She keeps going for the Pova forehand and keeps getting results, sending another one swinging out wide to go 40-15 up and earn two set-points. The Russian responds by slamming down two massive winners but she follows that with a mistake and Watson's clenched fist shows she knows she has to take her chance this time. Her first serve lands out, but her second delivery bounces high... and Pova can only put her return in the net. That's the first set in the bag for Heather, on her senior US Open debut. In a word: WOW!
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* Watson 5-3 Sharapova
Another hold for Sharapova, but not without a struggle. Watson steps in to despatch a backhand winner to start things off and would be in with a sniff at 30-all if she hadn't mis-read a bounce after coming into the net to try to finish off a rally. Instead it is 40-15 and Pova holds after reaching what looks like a winning drop-shot by Heather and putting it away herself. Still, the Guernsey teenager will serve for the first set next.
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TomRanderson on Twitter: "C'mon Heather! Get at least 2 Brits into the next round. Don't know how she can ignore Sharapova's ridiculous shrieks!"

Watson 5-2 * Sharapova
No sign of a Watson wobble just yet. She is going for the lines with her groundstrokes, and finding them. Pova, meanwhile, is only finding the net. Heather is a game away from taking the first set against the third seed.
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From James in Redditch, via text: "This sounds exciting. We all know how Pova can be vulnerable. Two Brits through within two hours?"

* Watson 4-2 Sharapova
Better by Sharapova, although her forehand couldn't really have got much worse. She keeps turning up the power and this time she hits the mark, holding easily enough. Watson just needs to worry about her own serve for now though...
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Watson 4-1 * Sharapova
Brilliant stuff. Absolutely brilliant. Watson serves like a rock to go 40-0 up, moving Maria around the court at will. She wraps it up with a rasping forehand winner down the line too. So far, so good for the British number three. Not such good news, though, for Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. She has crashed out 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 to Romania's Alexandra Dulgheru in the first round.
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Tim_Purcell on Twitter: "Good start by Heather but can't help but feel that Pova is looking to find her range."

* Watson 3-1 Sharapova
Is Watson overawed by the former world number one? Not on your Nellie. She goes back on the attack, and goes for the corners... And finds them too, to move 15-30 up. Pova responds by upping the ante, and turning up the volume too, but she misfires at 30-all and Heather has another break-point. Can she take it? Another double-fault means that, yes, she can. A very big game coming up for the world number 104.
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Watson 2-1 * Sharapova
Reality bites, as Pova breaks back to love. Watson tries to target her opponent's erratic forehand but gets absolutely no joy. Pova's power tells, on this occasion. We are back on serve.
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dpearce21 on Twitter: "Such a tiny challenger against such a tall opponent on such a massive court... what a daunting experience it must be."

Jeremy Bates on 5 live sports extra: "That's a terrific start from Heather, it can be a daunting challenge coming out into an arena like this but, speaking to her beforehand, she had a little sparkle in her eye and realised, 'This is it.' It's her chance to make an impression against one of the best players in the world."

* Watson 2-0 Sharapova
Pova has not settled down yet though, far from it. She shanks a forehand a mile out to trail 0-30 and follows that with a double-fault to give Heather three break-points. She only needs one, with Maria sending a forehand long. A LONG way to go in this match though, and a lot of work to do for Watson. Still, this is an excellent start.
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Watson 1-0 * Sharapova
Three big serves are just the start Heather wanted, but then Maria gets into her stride. A couple of vicious forehands give her the next two points and it is already clear a lot rests on whether Watson gets her first serve in. She does just that on the next point, though, and Pova flops a backhand into the net after a lengthy rally. The Guernsey girl is up and running. By the way, you can listen to this match on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra.
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2021: Here we go. Heather Watson to serve first.

2017: This is the biggest match of Heather Watson's life, but can she win it? You tell me. I'm Chris Bevan, and you can tweet me at @chrisbevan_bbc using the hashtag #BBCTennis please. Or feel free to text me via 81111 (UK) instead.

2015: A big ask for the Guernsey girl today, though. Pova, the 2006 womens' champion, is seeded third and in decent shape after a few injury problems. They are out on court and knocking up.

2011:In 2009, Heather Watson won the girls' title here at Flushing Meadows. I spoke to her just afterwards I spoke to her just afterwards, when she was the world number 603. She is now ranked 104th, which isn't bad progress in just under two years...

2006: Right, Mardy Fish has just polished off Tobias Kamke for the loss of just five games... which means Heather Watson and Maria Sharapova are due on Arthur Ashe, er, pretty soon.

1937: Right, I'll be back with you when Heather Watson and Maria Sharapova arrive on Arthur Ashe, which could be pretty soon. Mardy Fish is 6-2 6-2 1-0 up on Germany's Tobias Kamke, and Watson-Pova is the next match on. Cheerio for now.

Penners88 on Twitter: "Not how you want a match to end, but well done Laura Robson, a win is a win. Good luck to Heather Watson later."

1919: Anyone fancy Heather Watson to make it two wins out of two for British players on day one of the US Open? Before you make your minds up, I should tell you Heather plays 2006 champion Maria Sharapova...

1917: And a winning start for the Brits at Flushing Meadows too. Robson, by the way, plays either Spanish 30th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues or Italy's Karin Knapp in round two.

1915: Yep, Ayumi Morita could not continue after having lengthy treatment on that shoulder. I'm sure Laura Robson would have preferred to have beaten her Japanese opponent on the court, but I'm sure she will still be very happy to be in round two of the US Open on her first appearance in the main draw.

1910: LAURA ROBSON REACHES ROUND TWO OF THE US OPEN AFTER AYUMI MORITA RETIRES

Penners88 on Twitter: "Good to see Robson win a tight first set. Now, keep those errors to a minimum and win this 2nd set easier."

* Robson 7-6 (7-5) 1-0 Morita
Er, things are looking quite good for Robson right now. She breaks Morita at the start of the second set too, and her Japanese opponent also needs treatment at the changeover for a shoulder injury. We're going to have a medical time-out... which might take a bit longer than usual because the physio has to find their way to Court 13.
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SimonSyndrome on Twitter: "Laura knows how to keep her fans on edge..."

FIRST SET

Robson 7-6 (7-5) 0-0 Morita
A Morita double-fault gives Robbo the initiative and she then serves solidly to go 5-3 up. Laura is punished for being a little tentative on her next serve but gets a huge stroke of luck on the next point when her shot clips the net and drops in, just. That means she serves for the set at 6-4, and duly wraps it up with a swinging serve out wide. Never in doubt!
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Robson 6-6 (3-3) Morita
When she gets it right, Robbo's forehand is a joy to watch, and another rasper down the line digs her out of a little hole at 1-3 in the tie-break. She takes the next point too, thanks to a rare unforced error by Morita, after a rare attempt at a winner by her. She went for the line with her cross-court backhand, but was about a mile off target and responds by giving her racquet another bash.
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Robson 6-6 Morita
Robbo is not half as nippy around the court as Morita but she is still thinking on her feet, wrong-footing her 5ft 4in opponent then bringing her into the net to win a point that puts her 0-30 up. She is still going for those winners too, with a big forehand taking her to 15-40, before she steps in to despatch another one down the line to wrap up a crucial and convincing break-back. Morita angrily bats a ball into the crowd... we are going to have a first-set tie-break.
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Robson 5-6 * Morita
Oh dear. Have I mentioned Robson is making the odd mistake? Morita goes back to her old tactic of running everything down from the back of the court, and Robbo ends a succession of rallies with an error. She saves one break-point with a big forehand but finds the net with a backhand on the next and slams her racquet down in frustration. Morita will serve for the first set next.
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* Robson 5-5 Morita
... Or maybe not. Too many mistakes by Robson, who fails to make Morita work, and that window of opportunity slams shut. The pressure is back on Laura's serve...
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Robson 5-4 * Morita
Far, far, far from straightforward for Robson but the important thing is she held. Just. At deuce, it didn't look exactly certain that she would but Morita gifted her what might have been a tense old point and then smacked her next return a mile out. Expect Robson to come out all guns blazing next and try for another break that will give her the first set...
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ChrisDear11 on Twitter: "So often Robson's games are full of breaks. I see her coming through this in 3 sets. She has the beating of Morita."

* Robson 4-4 Morita
There is definitely a way back into the first set here for Robson, but can she find it? Yes, yes she can. Morita is on the back foot from the start thanks to more big returns by Robbo, but she saves one break-point with a clever inswinging serve into the Brit's body. Chance gone? Nope. Robbo goes back on the attack to set up another break-point, which she takes thanks to a double-fault from her Japanese opponent. We are all-square again and this first set is up for grabs.
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Robson 3-4 *Morita
Robbo is very hit and miss at the moment, but luckily she manages more of the former at a crucial time here. Her third double-fault of the match leaves her at 30-all and wobbling like a big pink blancmange but she responds with a rare patient point, won with a couple of looping forehands that are too heavy for Morita to handle. Sorted? No. Sadly, she follows that with another unforced error... but the next two points show what she is capable of: first a fizzing cross-court forehand followed by a drive-volley winner and then one of those thumping serves. Laura is still alive and kicking on Court 13.
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* Robson 2-4 Morita
Robson is still going for it, but trying too hard if anything. She's going for the big winner too early, even in rallies where she is on top. Morita is often not doing anything more than getting the ball back and, at the moment, that's enough. A big game for Robbo coming up...
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Rosstryagain on Twitter: " I'm thinking 3 or 4 British girls can make round 2. Watson has a tough draw but the others are against unseeded players."

Robson 2-3 * Morita
To use another weather pun, it looks like Morita's tactic is to weather the storm from Robbo's big baseline shots and wait for an error. It's working. Another Robbo forehand flies out at 30-all, giving Morita another break-point. She takes it too, when Robbo goes for another winner down the line, and misses... again. A bit of a pattern emerging here already.
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*Robson 2-2 Morita
For once, a routine service game. Robbo does manage one pearler of a return, but that is as good as it gets for her.
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Robson 2-1 *Morita
Morita is only 5ft 4in, so Robbo towers above her across the net at 5ft 11in. The Japanese player is not being overpowered, though, especially when she launches herself at Robson's serves. Both players going hell for leather, then, and this time it is the British number four who makes the unforced errors. Morita breaks back. Fashion news: unhelpfully, both players are wearing identical pink outfits, although Laura is wearing a white hat and Morita has a matching pink one on.
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*Robson 2-0 Morita
Robson goes on the attack from the start, pummelling Morita's second serve whenever she gets the chance. It doesn't always work, and at 40-30 it seems the Japanese world number 46 is going to get off the mark too... but Robbo keeps going for it, and three huge forehands help give her the next three points. That's a break - and this is the perfect start to her debut in the main draw of the US Open.
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Robson 1-0 * Morita
Two double faults mean this is not exactly a convincing start by Robson but she chucks in a couple of big shots too, none bigger than a forehand passing winner at 40-30 after Morita had failed to do enough with a volley. It lands plum on the baseline.
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From Stu in Swindon, via text: "Hi Chris, I'm excited for Andy Murray's chances this year... hopefully Laura starts well!"

1803: We're off. Robson to serve first...

1802: Can Laura Robson march into round two? Can Heather Watson shock Sharapova? Let me know. I'm Chris Bevan, and you can tweet me at @chrisbevan_bbc using the hashtag #BBCTennis please. Or feel free to text me via 81111 (UK) instead.

1800: Robbo is almost ready to go. In case you were wondering, the weather in New York is glorious.

1757: Robbo's not the only Brit in action today either. Heather Watson, the 2009 US Open junior champion, takes on Maria Sharapova on Arthur Ashe Stadium a little bit later on. Has Watson got any hope? Yes, if she starts like Robson did at Wimbledon a couple of months ago...

1756: Let's get cracking with the tennis then. Where shall we start? Where better than British number four Laura Robson, who has qualified for the main draw for the first time and will face Japan's Ayumi Morita in round one. They are warming up on Court 13 now.

1754: Yep, welcome to the 2011 US Open. Flushing Meadows has sustained "minimal damage" from the winds that have battered New York, and Irene has blown herself out.

1748: Hello. So, it turns out Hurricane Irene was just a tropical storm in a teacup (sort of). Just as well really, because we've got a lot of tennis to get through in the next week or two...