Britain's Heather Watson suffered a narrow first-round defeat at Wimbledon as she battled on through the pain barrier, the BBC reports. Watson, aged 19, played on with a heavily strapped elbow as she ultimately lost to France's Mathilde Johansson. Watson appeared to be cruising to a comfortable victory after taking the first set 2-6, but she required treatment on her right elbow during the second set. Her 70th-ranked opponent took that set and then came back from a break down in the third to win 2-6 6-4 6-4. Johansson had faced two break points in her first service game before eventually escaping unscathed. Watson then defended seven break points in her opening game as both players battled nerves as the first two games lasted 18 minutes. The Briton went on to break twice on her way to winning the first-set. Johansson emerged for the second set stronger and broke to love for 4-2 as Watson began to struggle with her injured arm. A medical time-out was called and the Guernsey player was strapped-up. But Johansson held onto her break to level the match. Watson put her injury behind her to race into a 2-0 lead at the start of the third. Johnasson broke back and then broke again at 5-4 with Watson serving to stay in the match.
