Heather Watson says she plans to be more aggressive heading into the Australian Open after claiming the Hobart International with a 6-3 6-4 win over American qualifier Madison Brengle.
Britain’s top-ranked woman has knocked off a string of higher-placed players on her road to Melbourne Park, where the 22-year old says she could pose a threat.
“It’s all coming together, I’m feeling very confident, very fit,” Watson told reporters after her final win on Saturday.
After trading breaks early in the first set on Saturday, with both players struggling to control serves in gusty winds, Watson’s powerful baseline play proved too strong.
She reached the decider after beating Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova, America’s Sloane Stephens and Italy’s Roberta Vinci, and didn’t drop a set against any of them.
Round one in Melbourne sees Watson face Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova.
“I know her game well,” Watson said of the world No.46.
“She always has a good run in Australia. She did well in (the) Sydney (International) and I know she won it the year before.
“She’s a toughie but I think in a grand slam, everybody’s a toughie.”
Watson won the Japan Open in 2012 but dropped in the rankings the following year after suffering glandular fever.
Her Hobart title makes her the first British woman in three decades to boast more than one WTA title.
“I don’t play like anybody else … I know what I’m capable of and I know how good I can play and that’s my focus,” Watson said.
By the end of 2015 Watson wants to be ranked in the world top-25.
“I’ve been working on a lot of things with my coach: working on being aggressive, working on my serve a lot.”
Prior to Hobart, Watson played in the Hopman Cup in Perth where her final match was a straight-sets win over Australia’s world No.29 Casey Dellacqua.
In the Hobart doubles final Romanian Monica Niculescu was unable to retain the title as she and Russian partner Vitalia Diatchenko were beaten by Kiki Bertens and Johanna Larsson 7-5 6-3.
Niculescu meets Australian Samantha Stosur at Melbourne Park next week.
