Heather Watson revealed she is retraining her sights on singles after spending the last year focussed on Olympic doubles qualification.

Watson does not yet know whether her bid for a fourth Games has been successful, but the Jersey-born player can now do no more in her pursuit of Paris, with the cut-off date for rankings having passed.

It means Watson is free to concentrate on her singles game and the 32-year-old started with a victory at the LTA’s Rothesay Open in Nottingham, beating Kayla Day 4-6 6-0 6-4.

Watson booked her place in the second round in the process and could face two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur in the third, but she insisted her focus is simply on getting used to her singles game.

“My biggest goal the last 12 months was to play at my fourth Olympics in Paris. I put a big push on doubles,” she said.

“It was after Wimbledon that I set that goal for myself and hopefully I am able to go and play doubles with Katie Boulter and mixed doubles with Joe Salisbury.

“That has been my main focus and, whether we have made it or not, now I am going to focus on my singles. My singles has taken a hit but I want to get that back.

“I think that match for me as a whole was just a good one to get through in the end, even if I didn’t play my best tennis.

“I started slow, I couldn’t find my game. It was a bit tentative, bit defensive, bit of nerves. The second set just flicked a switch and decided if I am going to go out, I am going to go out the right way.

“I really wanted that win today, probably too much in that first set. I am just so happy to be back.”

Watson earned a main draw wildcard for the WTA 250 tournament in Nottingham and will now face Czech player Karolina Pliskova in the second round.

The 32-year-old reached the semi-finals last year, eventually losing to compatriot and eventual champion Katie Boulter.

But Watson is not getting too carried away with repeating another deep run in the knowledge that there is much more to come from her over the grass-court season.

“I had a really good week here last year; therefore I have a lot of points to defend but I try not to put too much on a single week because there are so many factors,” she added.

“I am just taking it match by match. Let’s say it doesn’t happen for me this week then I hope it happens for me next week or the week after.

“You have just got to keep going, that’s the tennis life. You have to move on quickly and try and take every opportunity you have.

“I am not looking at Wimbledon yet as it does feel quite far away still. I am purely focussed on this week and my next match and just trying to adapt my game back to grass court tennis. I am so glad to be back on grass.

For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website