Tennis star opens up about depression

British tennis star Heather Watson has admitted to suffering from depression earlier this year after she was forced to fight through a low point in her career.

The 21-year-old is currently trying to find the form that encouraged people to tip her for a Wimbledon title not so long ago.

Ms Watson is still the UK's top-ranked senior female player but saw her performances slide after being diagnosed with debilitating glandular fever in April.

She failed to properly recover following a short period out of the sport and endured a run of confidence-sapping defeats, causing her to drop down from 47th in the world in January down to 122 at present.

Speaking to telegraph.co.uk reporter Olivia Goldhill, Ms Watson said her physical problem ended up triggering mental issues, forcing her to question her future in tennis.

"The mental confidence at the end was so bad, ten times worse than the physical," she said. "I had worries, depression - I couldn't sleep and didn't want to play any more."

Cited by tennis.si.com, the Guernsey-born star said she became a recluse and even kept away from companionship on social media.

"I just want to go home - that was my thought, all the time. I feel like the men's tour is very different, but a lot of girls especially just want to keep to themselves."

However, after some encouraging training camps and a place in the semi-finals at a recent tour event in Poitiers, France, Ms Watson says she's on the mend and has set her sights on getting back into the top 100.

"Well, it is to get back in, not to try to get back in," said a driven Ms Watson. "That will be my first goal."