Heather Watson: British number one wants to be best in the world

Heather Watson has won singles tournaments in Prague and the United States this year

British number one Heather Watson says she is aiming to become the number one tennis player in the world.

The 22-year-old from Guernsey ended the season ranked 49th after suffering glandular fever last year when she had reached a career-high 39 in the world.

Watson won two singles and two doubles events this year and reached the second round at and the French Open.

"I definitely want to go all the way. I wouldn't be playing if I didn't think I could," she told BBC Radio Guernsey.

"I'm not thinking about number one right now. I set my mini goals, but I believe in myself, my team believes in me and we're doing everything we can to get there."

Watson's last singles tournament victory came in the while she partnered Alexandra Panova to her most recent doubles victory at the Baku Cup in July.

"My ranking dropped all the way to 160 in the world," said Watson, who was forced to miss two months of tennis last year because of her illness.

"So for me this year was about getting my ranking back up to where it was before I got ill.

"That's what I've done. I've climbed up the rankings slowly and I'm now back in the top 50 so now I want to start making big steps and climbing the rankings again.

"It gives me a good start. For the first few months of next year I'll be in the main draws and it gives me the confidence to work hard through my off season. It puts me in a good place mentally and physically."