Heather Watson will miss this month’s Australian Open but is hopeful of returning to action by the end of February.
The 33-year-old has dropped to 269 in the world and is now the British No 9, after sustaining a tendon issue in her glute last summer.
Watson has not played since late August, when she lost in the first round of qualifying for the US Open, and has now revealed she will miss the Australian summer.
“I’ve really missed my purpose and the everyday challenge tennis gives me,” Watson said on Instagram from Florida, where she is now training.
“I cannot wait to be back on tour competing again. Hopefully, if all goes to plan, at the end of February.
“Missing Australia this year has really hurt my heart but also lit a fire inside me.”
Watson, who won the mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2016, lost in the first round of the singles at SW19 amid a difficult 2025 season.
She did reach the semi-finals of a WTA 125 event in Puerto Vallarta in March, but did not win a main draw grand slam singles match. Her last win came in qualifying at Eastbourne in June.
Watson has a career-high ranking of 38 in 2015, the same year she famously lost to Serena Williams in the third round at Wimbledon.
