Heather Watson pushes Serena Williams

Heather Watson pushes Serena Williams: Heather Watson disagrees – because athletes hate to embrace defeat – but Serena Williams might never reach a higher standard of tennis than that which she showed in losing to Serena Williams in three sets of incomparable drama on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Friday evening.

To lose the way Serena Williams did, with quiet elan and sustained skill under intense pressure, leaving every sweat-drop of effort on court during two and a quarter hours against possibly the best player in the history of the women’s game – such a British defeat – was a victory in itself.