Two of the games brightest prospects battle it out in the second round of qualifying for the WTA tournament in Memphis next week.
It is still hard to believe that Michelle Larcher De Brito has only just turned 18. She seems to have been around for an age. In 2009 the Portuguese youngster was ranked as high as 76 and had career wins against Jie Zheng, Agnieska Radwanska and Flavia Pennetta. She has taken Serena Williams to three sets also.
2010 was a disappointing year for De Brito but now 18 and at full fitness the youngster is ready to assault the WTA tour once again. She is ranked 201 in the world but expect that to rise if she can regain some of her confidence. She may however fall by the way side like many other top juniors, but lets give her another few years to see her true quality?
Heather Watson has had a great start to life on the WTA tour. The 18 year old former junior US Open Champion should find the courts in Memphis to her liking and the 6-1 6-1 first qualifing win seems to enhance this.
She had her Breakthrough at Eastbourne last year on the grass where she qualified for the tournament and won her first round against Alexandra Wozniack. In that qualifiyng event she also beat Wimbledon semi-finalsit Tsvetana Pironkova.
2011 has started well for Heather too with a quarter final appearance in Auckland with wins over a whole host of higher ranked players in cluding two time grand slam quarter finalsit Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain.
There is no doubt that both these girls have a lot of talent and are both trying to make there mark onn the WTA tour and build up experience. I think Watson should just take this match, but if De Broito is back to the form of 2009 then she could win the match too. Qualifiyng for tournaments is the best way for these youngsters to get more experience of playing top players and although they could well sacrifice points they could win at smaller events, these experiences sohlud bode well for the future.
Match Prediction:
Heather Watson to win.
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