Heather Watson is all set to begin her run for a better result at Wimbledon. Besides having a firm experience on grass courts, the Briton is also connected with an unusual story in the tournament, which is remembered every time she steps on the glorious green courts. Her parents were banned from entering her box back in 2014 by the player. But what was the reason behind this harsh call?

Ten years ago today, Heather Watson made a surprising decision to keep her parents from attending her matches at Wimbledon. While it might seem to be a ruthless move, the reason behind it lies in superstition. The WTA pro feared they might jinx her performance. In a 2014 interview with BBC, Watson revealed, “My parents just like me to get on with it.”

She explained how the belief came into existence. “I used to travel with my mum everywhere when I was starting,” Watson explained. “But as I’ve got older, I think it’s easier for me to focus with just me and my coach and give my full focus to the matches.” Despite the distance, Watson marks several moments when she comes forward to reveal that her parents still support her.

“They are following me and supporting me 100 percent,” she said. Along with that, the Briton also revealed that her father regularly watches when she’s playing. “My dad has been watching all my matches on telly and my mum was playing tennis during my first match,” Watson added.

Watson’s parents, Michelle from Papua New Guinea and Ian from Britain, have always been her biggest supporters. Her father Ian is a former managing director at Guernsey Electricity, and Michelle, her mother, was an avid tennis player. Along with agreeing to the fact that they would keep themselves from visiting her clashes, the family also agreed to a deal. “I’ve made a deal with my dad that if I reach the second week, he’ll come and support me with my family,” Watson stated.

2022 saw Watson in the headlines as she achieved an emotional 7-6, 6-2 victory over Kaja Juvan in round 3, helping her reach the fourth round of the SW19 for the first time in her career.

This year, she will begin her run against Germany’s Greet Minnen. Although she aims to surpass the previous year’s devastating first-round exit, only time will tell what happens. While the way she kept her parents out might seem harsh to many, the love she carries for her parents is unmatched.

Heather Watson remembers a time when her father shed tears

Watson was blessed with the support of her parents right from the start. During an interview back in 2017, the Briton took a moment to board the ship of emotions by remembering the first time her father cried. She built the plot of an incident when she was just 18 years old and had to separate from her parents to join a top-class tennis academy in Florida.

“He put me on the plane and cried. I was like, ‘Dad, don’t worry, I want to go, I’m so excited,’ but at that age you don’t realise that your parents are in bits. They did it for me and that was a huge sacrifice for them, emotionally and financially,” she said, mentioning how it was just the dream in her eyes that kept her focused.

The incident, despite the thoughts about keeping her father out of the stands, shows the close connection she shares with him and her mother. Now that she’s ready to step on the grass courts again, it is to be seen if the ban is lifted or still exists.