With the European clay court season in full swing, some of those hoping to keep their tennis shoes clean (only joking! ) are heading East.

Leading the way this week are those on the outdoor hard courts in Korea at the Changwon $25k.

First of this thread belongs to Jade Curtis who looked to have drawn another stinker (so what's new? ) coming up against the top seed and world 128 (CH #78) in R1. Ha! Jade won earlier today 6-2 6-1!

She would have had Mandy Elliott in R2 but Mandy went down 6-4 6-2 to the world 303 today.

Jin-A Lee will be no push-over on home soil so good luck, Jade!
Having knocked out the top seed, let's see you in the final against the second seed...Elena Baltacha!

The Jade v Bally final a tad closer!

Elena won her R1 today 3&1

Can't meet in the doubles final, though!
Jade and Sophie Ferguson of Australia are 3rd seeds and scheduled to meet Bally and Mandy Elliott in the semis!
Both pairs won their R1s yesterday.

It's Jade & Sophie v Bally & Mandy in the doubs SF!

J&S double bagelled their QF opponents
B&M somewhat closer...10-4 in the champions tie-breaker!

May the best team win!

Jade's singles run over, sadly; downed in R2 but the 8 ranking points earned will take her very very close to her CH. Go, Jade!

Bally's still on course for the final as #2 seed, though, winning her R2 1&2

Bally marched on in the singles QF today 6-1 6-1

Getting progressively better, it seems!

Also doing well in the doubles up with Mandy 6-4 1-1 (to be continued); will be playing Sophie twice tomorrow, then!

Bally's in the singles final tomorrow!

6-2 6-2 against the 4th seed definitely worth a or three!
6th seeded opposition next up. Go, Brit Girl, go!

That'll be 2 finals this week for Elena, then! She and Mandy finished the job against Jade and Sophie but went down in the final.

Never in doubt!!

Bally really has been running through this field like a dose of salts and completed the job in the final 6-3 6-1. Fantastic stuff

That's 50 ranking points and a rise of about 10 places in the world list a week tomorrow just 10 points behind GB #3 Katie.

Both Elena and Katie are top seeds this coming week (a 50k in Japan for Bally and a 100k in South Africa for Katie) so if they are able to justify their billings that'll be massive boosts to their rankings all adding on a week tomorrow...very, very handy with the qualification cut for Roland Garros the following week!

As Joburg is rather more South than East (if it's East at all...I'll check my daughters' wall maps later! ) there'll be a separate thread for that methinks!

They're not the only Brit Girl top seeds this coming week though...our Em is numero uno at the 25k in Borneo.

Might just be a separate thread for that too!!

Hope you're injury free and good to go Em. Best of luck with your match.

It was after the Lord Mayors Show for Bally in Japan going down badly in R1 of the 50k; hopefully she'll bounce back next week.

Much better news for Jade Curtis who stayed back in Korea for the next 25k in Gimcheon. She put out Mandy Elliott in R1 with something to spare (typically evil draw...go half way around the world to play another Brit Girl! ) ; and has now carried on the good work in R2 fighting back from a set down to take the next two 2&2

Even better news for Tara Moore who earns a for putting out the second seed (and world 264) 6-2 6-2

Jade and Tara could be meeting in the final,yet! Better win the QFs first though! Good luck, Girls!

Jade and Tara will both have new career high rankings when the points are chalked up a week on Monday; but couldn't add to their points tally in the QF with Jade going down in 3 sets and Tara in 2

Next stop Japan for the Fukuoka $50k

Bally top seed again this week and will do better than last week for sure?

Joining her in the main draw, certainly, is Mandy E who could do with a good result or two here to kick-start her season but has been dealt a tough R1 against the 6th seed ; and, all being well, Jade C who's had a very encouraging fortnight in the Orient already and who is having to battle her way through qualifying. Two efficient wins so far one still to go...

Sadly, Tara drew the q3 seed in Q1 and went down.

Jade has won her Q3 6-3 7-5 to take her place in the MainDraw

And Bally cruised through R1 6-1 6-1

Keep up the good work, Girls!

Mandy went down in R1 3&2; not unexpectedly

Better news for Jade, though, who went through 3&3 against the world 338 ; big ask next in R2, though...4th seed and world 200 Nakamura who was top 50 in 2007 and was last week's title winner in Gifu for the loss of only one set

Good luck, Jade!

Jade's excellent run this week came to an end earlier today but she can continue her Japanese adventure at the Kurume $50k next week

Bally, meanwhile, is on a Changwon type roll winning R2 for the loss of only 1 game Her QF opponent is Chalova who Emily beat in the Gran Canaria final. Go, Elena!

Elena wins her QF 7-5 6-0 (very similar score to the Gran Canaria final except Em got her bagel first set ) to continue on her straight sets way

7th seed and world 221 next up. Go, Bally!

Bally went down in 3 sets

Next stop Kurume 50k...

Bally's top seed again this week in Kurume with Mandy also straight into the Main Draw.

Meantime, Jade (qseed #4)has been working her way through the qualifying draw again with her now customary win-win efficiency to now face Tanaka of Japan, qseed #7, in Q3. Go, Jade!

Sadly, Tara had an evil draw in Q1 and came up second best against the qseed #2 who is a former world #221

Jade did the business in Q3 6-4 7-5
Faces the 5th seed and world 224 in R1 next. Go, Jade!

Mandy had a toughie in R1, going down 4&2 to the 7th seeded Zhang of China (world 271, ex world 132) Probably seen enough of her for one day as Mandy and Jade went down against her in the doubles too, 6-10 in the champions tiebreaker

Jade went down 3&3
Looking on the bright side, though, she should be able to come to R1 fresher soon for this level of tourney...her new ranking should enable her to give the qualies a miss

All hopes here now rest on Bally who won R1 in straight sets (just!...6-3 7-6(5)!)

Han of China, ranked 318, in R2. Should be a tad easier in theory !

The theory disproved in practice! Bally lost in 3 sets