After a bright start against American Varvara Lepchenko, she went down 6-3, 3-6, 1-6.
Heather Watson is beaten 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 by Varvara Lepchenko in a 2nd Round @AustralianOpen qualifying battle #BackTheBrits ???????? | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/DPjFvac6Ig
— LTA (@the_LTA) January 8, 2025
Watson broke her opponent’s serve to open a 3-0 lead in the opening set, but Lepchenko then levelled things up after a break of her own.
Watson hit back and held on to take the set, but was then unable to make any progress against her opponent’s serve and lost in just under two hours.
Fellow Brit Harriet Dart progressed with a 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-2 win against Taylah Preston and is now one win away from the main draw.
