Britain's Heather Watson loses to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 7-6 (7-1) 7-5 at the Abu Dhabi Open; Harriet Dart through to Transylvania Open quarter-finals after beating Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Thursday 8 February 2024 21:24, UK
Heather Watson was defeated in her second-round match at the Abu Dhabi Open, losing in straight sets to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa.
The Briton was competitive throughout, only losing the first set on a tie-break and pressing Bucsa at times in the second.
But Watson ultimately succumbed 7-6 (7-1) 7-5 to the Spaniard.
It was a disappointing exit after Watson kicked off her tournament with a good win over world No 16 Veronika Kudermetova.
She was well-matched with Bucsa but it was the latter who found the winners at crucial times and was the first to threaten a break.
The Briton managed to defend three break points in the fifth game of the first set. But Bucsa pressed her again in Watson's next service game and this time did get the break.
Momentum nevertheless swung from one to the other with Watson breaking back in the game that would have won that first set for Bucsa.
The Spaniard though served through to stay in the set and then dominated the tie-break.
Watson was the first to break in the second set. She wrong-footed Bucsa with a fine backhand return to move on to advantage point which she converted to take the lead.
But Bucsa broke back immediately in the next game to heap further pressure on her opponent.
With Watson serving to try to take the second set into a tie-break, Bucsa kept in touch before moving ahead in the game. Closing in on the net she drove a volley home to get to match point.
Watson fended her off then. With Bucsa unable to return a serve, Watson did bring the game to deuce.
But Bucsa finished a rally brilliantly, racing across the court to guide the ball past Watson and get her second match point.
This one she converted, booking herself a place in the quarter-finals.
Bucsa will play Elena Rybakina next.
Britain's Harriet Dart fought back from a set and a break down to beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 5-7 7-5 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Transylvania Open.
The win takes Dart back into the top 100 on the WTA rankings and she will face Spain's Nuria Parrizas-Diaz in the last eight on Friday - live on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Main Event.
"I had some set points in the first set that I wasn't able to convert, but I thought she played good on the big points," said Dart. "With such small margins in tennis and even though it was through love, there's always a chance and you just have to keep fighting.
"I was just really happy just to keep fighting. I got a small bit of a chance and I was able to take it."
"I'm sure my coach was watching back home," Dart added. "He will probably be telling me to be more positive because I get down on myself really easily. I'm a perfectionist. I want everything to be really good and sometimes, you know, I think [it's] something that I've done during the match when actually you know my opponent is allowed to play well.
"Look, I'm just trying to build on each match and it's been great to be able to get lots of matches through qualifying here. Get used to the surface. I'm really enjoying my time in Cluj, it's a wonderful place and amazing tournament and I'm really happy to be back here."
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