Heather Watson has confirmed she will miss four months of the season for the first time in her career.
Watson has been a focal point of British tennis since making her Wimbledon debut against Romina Oprandi in 2010.
The star, who reached a career-high of World No. 38, has won 9 career titles, including the Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Championship.
Watson is still playing on the WTA Tour, but she’s confirmed she will be out of action for the first time in her career.
Heather Watson confirms details of injury that will see her miss the rest of 2025
The British star took to social media to update her fans about why she’s not currently playing on the WTA Tour.
“I have been suffering in silence with injury this year – playing in pain everyday since March,” wrote the British star on Instagram.
“I have a tendon issue in my left glute which has caused me pain everyday since,” she added. “And therefore had a domino effect resulting in more injuries than I’ve ever experienced.”
The star has not previously missed time from tennis due to injury, but her current one has forced her to step away from the game.
“After 17 years of playing professional tennis year in year out, without any serious injury, I count my blessings that this is the first time I have to take a (forced) break,” Watson wrote.
“I will be away from competing until the end of February 2026 (hopefully) to heal and play pain-free again.”
“I will use this time to spend with the people who matter most, develop in other areas of my life, and get into the best shape possible for my return.”
Watson’s return date could line her up for an appearance at the ATX Open in Austin or the Transylvania Open in Romania as her first tournament back in action.
How has Heather Watson fared since her injury in March?
Watson’s record of 14 wins and 18 losses in 2025 makes more sense after the details of her left glute injury.
The British star had not won a match since the Qualifying R1 of the Eastbourne Open, with early exits at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Watson’s only lengthy run in 2025 came at Queen’s, where she defeated Ena Shibahara, Zeynep Sonmez, and Yulia Putintseva to reach the round of 16.
The star is currently ranked outside the top 200 and will be expected to drop further after her hiatus from tennis.
