Heather Watson reveals she broke her dating rules to go out with footballer boyfriend Courtney Duffus

HEATHER WATSON has emerged as the secret weapon behind high-flying Yeovil Towns Football League bid.

Watson, 27, has been dating top Yeovil striker Courtney Duffus since last Wimbledon.

Irishman Duffus, 24, scored a hat-trick in a 6-2 National League win over Torquay on Boxing Day when his tennis girlfriend watched at Huish Park.

Duffus, an ex-Everton trainee, is the clubs leading scorer with 12 goals as Yeovil target an immediate return to League Two.

The British No2 laughed: Since we both met each other were both doing a lot better!

He had a big part to play. Hes super positive.

I dont like to let boys have too much influence over me but he has really been a good influence. Hes so calm, level-headed.

You all know Im quite emotional. And hes just really, really supportive. He gets up at all hours of the night, he watched all my matches in Hobart.

Its him as a character. Its not just because he plays sports. That helps but I know there are sportspeople that dont understand as well.

The pair met the weekend of the 2019 Wimbledon finals and have quickly fallen in love even though Watson refused at first to date a footballer.

The world No75 said: I went out to dinner with friend Naomi Broady.

You know at a restaurant when you book the table and they say: Oh can you wait at the bar? It was there where we met.

The first thing they did was buy us shots. It was good fun.

I found that out later in the night he was a footballer so I was like: For sure, Im not going to date him. I dont really follow football.

Ive learned footballers dont train nearly as much as we do. Its a good life.

And Ive learned that theres a lot of politics in football, lots of factors that go into everything and its really complicated.

You just think of it as a team against a team but there are lot of different things. And their seasons are just as long as ours.

Watson plays Czech Kristyna Pliskova on Tuesday in the Australian Open first round, aiming to end years of Grand Slam frustration.

Only four times in 33 majors has she got to the third round and never beyond that stage.

By reaching the semi-finals of the Hobart International last week, she is hoping she is on an upward curve.

Watson said: Ive been playing really good tennis. Im happy on and off the court and just enjoying my time in Australia so far.

In life in general I feel in a very good place, very happy, the support system around me is great.

Thats really showing with my tennis and my results the last five, six months or so.