Andy Murray is the sole British tennis player left in the Australian Open after his compatriots tumbled out of the tournament on day two.
Kyle Edmund, the 20-year-old playing in an overseas Grand Slam for the first time, lost in straight sets to American Steve Johnson, while James Ward lost in four sets to 31st seed Fernando Verdasco.
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Watson appeared below par and was struck down with nausea and blurred vision during the match, which she lost 6-0, 6-4. It was a sad follow-up to the previous week's heroics, which had propelled her up the rankings to a career-high of 38th.
"It is impossible not to feel sorry for Heather Watson in defeat," says Kevin Mitchell of The Guardian. "Not only does this most amenable of athletes give her all every time she steps on court, against champion or near rival, but just when she seems on the verge of a genuine breakthrough, something goes wrong."
Two years ago she was struck down with glandular fever at the tournament and despite admitting that she encountered similar problems with energy levels from time to time, her team confirmed it was not a recurrence of the illness.
Watson did not drop a set on her way to the title in Tasmania but as The Times notes: "Hobart and Melbourne may be only separated by 450 miles but the 22-year-old from Guernsey's performances in the two cities were poles apart."
Admitting that she felt "bloated and weak", Watson added: "I just struggled on the court to have energy and against any player here you can’t be like that. It's tough enough when you're fit, let alone when you're not."
Another absentee from this year's tournament is Laura Robson, the former Wimbledon junior champion, who has been out of the game for a year with a wrist injury. And her return would benefit British women's tennis.
"In the long run it would doubtless help Watson... if Robson can get back to resume their British rivalry," says the Daily Mail.
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