HEATHER WATSON yesterday became the first British woman to reach the third round at Wimbledon since Elena Baltacha in 2002.

Should the 20-year-old, who hails from Guernsey, defeat the world No.3 Agnieszka Radwanska tomorrow, she would become the first UK female to reach the fourth round since Jo Durie in 1985.

There was just one problem after a 6-1, 6-4 dismissal of Jamie Lee Hampton of the USA which was fuelled by a diet of smoked salmon and eggs and achieved despite a recent sleep problem. That was trying to convince her that she must have some Scottish blood in her somewhere. "I know I have a Scottish name," she said. "But my dad is from Manchester and my mum is from Papua New Guinea, so no."

The closest anyone could find to a Scottish connection was the presence – alongside her coach Mauricio Haddad on Court No.2 – of Judy Murray, the Fed Cup captain, and Leon Smith, head of men and women's tennis at the LTA, .

"Judy is great," said Watson. "All the British girls are very close to her. She's always supporting us, coming out on our practice courts. She really does extra. She's there when she doesn't have to be. It's great to have her there supporting us."

Watson, the British No.4, is only 20 but it is already crystal clear that the girl who trains under the watchful eye of Nick Bollettieri in Florida is made of different stuff than most of the home favourites who have tried and failed at SW19 in recent times. The 2009 US Open junior champion is ranked 103 in the world but certainly made short work of Hampton, an American who had ousted the world No.29 Daniela Hantuchova.

Next up will be Radwanska, a Pole who has risen to third place in the rankings without having reached a grand slam semi-final. Watson is hardly quaking in her boots. "Oh, it's definitely not terrifying," she said. "It's exciting. I'm looking forward to it. I'm in the third round now. You know, I'm relaxed about it."

So what of these superstitious breakfast choices and that borderline insomnia? "I've been having eggs and smoked salmon for breakfast every morning," said Watson, "And when when we change ends, I run up to pass my ball boy the towel. So there are just those two. This whole week I've been sleeping pretty bad. Actually, last night wasn't great either. But if I keep playing like this, I don't really mind."

This happy, upbeat Watson was light years away from the distraught figure of a year ago. She had been leading Sweden's Mathilde Johansson by a set when she sustained an arm injury, ending up going down in three sets and breaking down in tears when asked to relive it afterwards.

"It was tough last year because I was winning and then I got injured early in the second set," said Watson, who will play mixed doubles with Laura Robson at the Olympics. "Touch wood, but I'm pretty good at not getting injured. So it was horrible for me, in basically my main tournament of the year, for that to happen. "

After a first set where she appeared almost entirely untroubled, Watson's 6-1, 6-4 victory was secured on her third match point, when she exhorted herself to get the ball in court following a double fault on the preceeding match point. "I was a bit more nervous on my third match point," she said. "You're not supposed to say it ['don't double fault'], but for me it helps. I knew I had to try to do anything but that."

We might not be able to claim her as authentically one of our own, but Watson could be about to go global.