Heather Watson through to the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time ever after beating Kaja Juvan

Updated 01/07/2022 at 16:04 GMT

Heather Watson has reached the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time in her career after an excellent victory over Kaja Juvan. The British number four had already beaten Tamara Korpatsch and Qiang Wang en route to her fourth third round appearance at SW19 and will now continue her excellent run at the championships after a brilliant straight sets win.

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Heather Watson has reached the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time in her career after an emphatic 7-6(6) 6-2 win over Kaja Juvan.

It is the deepest run Watson has ever produced at a Grand Slam and she sunk to her knees in elation after the stunning victory.

The 30-year-old will now face Germany's Jule Niemeier in the next round.

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“Firstly, it wouldn’t be me if there wasn’t a bit of drama at the end," Watson said after winning the contest in one hour and 45 minutes.

"What an atmosphere. There is nowhere I would rather be. You guys are what got me over the line there at the end. She [Juvan] was playing her best tennis at the end. I actually wasn’t that nervous.

"But first time in the fourth round, I’m so happy. Thank you to my team over there for pushing me through, for being with me through thick and thin!”

After a confident start from both players, Juvan would break first to move into a 4-3 lead when Watson's attempted drop shot went into the net.

But back-to-back double faults and a long crosscourt forehand from Juvan in the very next game gave Watson a route back in and the Brit broke back with a smash.

Both players battled hard to a tie-break and Watson seized the initiative to go a mini-break up with a forehand volley at the net to take a 2-1 lead.

Juvan ripped a forehand crosscourt winner to reduce the deficit, but Watson restored a two-point advantage with an unreturnable backhand. Watson clinched the set on her fourth set point thanks to a double fault from Juvan.

Watson quickly raced ahead in the second set as she broke Juvan in her opening service game. After holding her own serve, Watson sealed a double break, opening up the opportunity with a forehand winner down the line before Juvan fired a backhand long.

Juvan continued to make unforced errors and a poor backhand into the net handed Watson the fifth game.

The Slovenian rallied and pulled one break back before producing her best game of the match on her own serve, but the British world No. 121 would eventually serve out the match after four deuces for the biggest win of her career.