Britain's new tennis ace can't wait to visit Tarka

By arjones

US OPEN junior champion Heather Watson can't wait to start climbing the world rankings in North Devon next week.

The 17-year-old from Guernsey shot to prominence by winning the title at Flushing Meadows last month.

Now she is stepping out on the senior tour and will follow the example of former Wimbledon junior champion Laura Robson in making Barnstaple's Tarka Tennis Centre one of her early stops on her rise up the rankings.

Watson, who has entered the AEGON Pro-Series Barnstaple starting on Monday morning, said: "I'm just so pleased with what I've achieved and I definitely want to keep it going.

"This week coming is a chance to do that. I want to work on getting my WTA ranking higher and climb this new, bigger ladder I'm on. I want to get as high as I can, as fast as I can. Barnstaple should be very exciting. I really want to do well and I have a lot of confidence at the moment so hopefully I can use that."

Robson earned a world ranking for the first time by appearing at last year's Barnstaple Open and she will be back at Tarka next week.