Heather Watson hopes her victory in the mixed doubles can help her singles career and convince Andy Murray to partner her at the Olympic Games next month.
Johanna Konta is the other British woman in the Olympic team and Murray won singles gold and silver in the mixed doubles at the London Olympics four years ago with Laura Robson. Besides playing men’s doubles with brother Jamie, Murray must also decide if he wants to take part in the mixed competition again.
Watson wrapped up a wonderful day for British tennis when she became the first British woman to win a senior Wimbledon title since Jo Durie in 1987.
The 24-year-old and her Finnish partner Henri Kontinen beat Robert Farah and Anna-Lena Groenefeld 7-6, 6-4 just hours after Andy Murray beat Milos Raonic.
Watson suffered a disappointing first-round defeat in the women’s singles at the All England Club.
The world No55 has never made it to the second week of a Grand Slam singles event but believes her doubles success will benefit her game.
“It is something I can use moving forward,” said Watson. “I am always trying to come to the net more in singles and I feel my volleys have really improved. It has been a great week. I will remember this forever. It has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to be a Grand Slam champion. I would take anything —singles, doubles, mixed doubles. I have got one of those now. I am just really happy.
“Who would have thought we are here as champions, for me, after such a horrible first-round loss. I made it to the last day of Wimbledon, which has always been one of my goals, to reach just the second week of a slam.”
As well as wins for Watson and Murray yesterday, there were British wins in the men’s wheelchair singles and women’s wheelchair doubles.
Gordon Reid added the men’s wheelchair singles to the doubles title he won alongside Alfie Hewett, while Jordanne Whiley and her Japanese partner Yui Kamiji won their third consecutive women’s wheelchair doubles title at SW19.
