EYES ON HISTORY
BELGIAN baseliner Elise Mertens is on the doorstep of tennis history today as she attempts to become the first woman to twice win the Hobart International at the Domain Tennis Centre.
The 22- year-ear-old dog lover (she has four of them) will meet Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu in the Hobart showdown. Mertens goes into the match full of confidence after a hard- won semi against another former Hobart champion, the UK’s Heather Watson, who won the title in 2015.
No player has won the Hobart tournament twice — let alone twice in a row — making it the longest- running title double drought in WTA history.
THE moment Heather Watson yelled “Oh my God”, she was gone.
The former UK No. 1 women’s player lost her venom midway through a tight third set and her opponent, defending champion and tournament second seed Elise Mertens, stayed composed to race away to win the semi-final 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.
Several close line calls that did not go her way fuelled a fire in Watson in the second set and she powered on to tie the contest one set apiece. However, Mertens was more poised in the run home and will now play for back-to-back Hobart titles in the final today.
“I’m not happy with my performance — I made too many unforced errors today,” Watson said.
“Because I’ve been playing so well I expected more of myself.”
Despite her run from the qualifying rounds to the semis coming to an end, Watson will take good form to the Australian Open, where she has drawn fellow Hobart International player Yulia Putintseva, of Kazakhstan, in the first round. Watson planned to check out last night.
“It gives me more time to recover and settle into Melbourne, which is important,” she said.
“I’ll leave this tournament behind and focus solely on the Australian Open.
“I’ve played some great tennis this week. I’ve come through some tough battles.”
Watson vowed to return to Hobart, where she has developed a taste for Tasmanian scallops, which she has eaten every night.
“I’ve had a great time here at this tournament,” she said. “I’m just glad I don’t have to have scallops another night. I really like scallops but I’ve overdone it.”