Bollettieri Thinks Watson Has What It Takes For Tour Success

Written by: Staff on 16th October 2012

Bollettieri Thinks Watson Has What It Takes For Tour Success

epa03330560 Heather Watson of Britain returns to Maria Kirilenko of Russia in their second round match during the London 2012 Olympic Games Tennis competition in Wimbledon, Greater London, Britain, 31 July 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Nick Bollettieri extolled the virtues of the latest of his graduates to succeed on the main tennis tours and insisted in time Heather Watson could follow in the footsteps of the likes of Monica Seles and Maria Sharapova by progressing to win Grand Slam titles.

Bollettieri was delighted to hear the news Watson had ended Britain’s 24 years long wait for a champion on the WTA by winning the HP Japan Open in Osaka on Sunday and thinks there is plenty more to come from the 20 year-old . But he insists there is still a need for patience. “I believe the future’s very bright and she’s not reached her ultimate,” said the veteran American coach. “I believe she should not say, ‘I want to break the top 10 or the top 20,’ just, ‘I’m going to go higher in the ranking.”

Watson has this week cracked the world’s top 50 and Bollettieri praised the influence of her coach Mauricio Hadad. However now he thinks is the time to go even more on the offensive. “I think she has to come forward even a little more,” he said.

“If she has that transition game she can fight for titles. I don’t believe that just staying back there will work. She’s going to have to put fright in the top players that, if they hit tentative second serves, she’s coming after your ass.”

Watson joined the Bollettieri set up in Bradenton at the age of 12 but it took another four years for her to really catch the head coach’s attention. “Heather was always a character, always smiling, and began to show ability around the age of 16,’ said Bollettieri. “She used to pray for her opponents to miss, but gradually she learned to go after the ball and make things happen herself.”

Up until she won the US Open juniors in 2009 Bollettieri believed she might be best served by going to an American university but that success changed his thinking.

‘She takes the ball early and has developed a good volley. It should not be under-estimated how much playing doubles has helped her (she is Britain ’s top-ranked doubles player). She is not a big girl at 5ft 7in but makes up for it with her movement so there is plenty of potential.

“Remember she could not have done it without supportive parents, and your Fed Cup captain Judy Murray has also been a very positive influence.”