Another home triumph?

It's hard to imagine that the excitement of the Shrewsbury $75k can be replicated here, but there's no harm in believing!

Bally and Katie memorably made the final at Shrewsbury and, on the back of it, both broke into the world top 100 for the first time.

Neither are here, leaving the way clear, maybe, for Brit Girl #4, Mel South, to carry on the good form she also displayed in Shropshire; Mel did briefly break into the top 100 herself and would love to return, no doubt! She's #4 in the MD list and so must be in with a big chance to lift the title here in Devon.

Also in the MD, for sure and by right, is GB #6 Naomi Cavaday who is knocking on the door of the world top 200 now

Wild Cards into the main draw are Lisa Whybourn (who had a great Shrewsbury too; and is guaranteed one ranking point here and thereby gets her world ranking on Monday week ...likely to be no worse than #740, and if she wins her R1, considerably higher ); plus Jade Curtis, Tara Moore and Heather Watson (US junior Open champion 2009 )

WCQs include youngsters Nicola George and Daneika Borthwick who both have 2 counting scores towards their world rankings and just need to win one round of qualifying to get their third. Good luck, Girls!

WCQs also to Elisha Gabb, Ruth Seaborne, Helen Parish and Joanna Henderson. Brit Girls all!

Laura's into the MD!

One more withdrawal has promoted Laura Robson from top of the qualies list into the Main Draw; she'll be hoping to replace as many points as possible from Shrewsbury 2008 which dropped off this week

Let the young 'uns shine!!

Whereas it was the older stagers, if Bally and Katie will permit the phrase, who excelled at Shrewsbury last week, it's the turn of the younger generation this coming week, all being well.

Certainly the cream of young British talent is all assembling: Laura Robson, 15, Heather Watson, 17, Tara Moore, 17, Lisa Whybourn, 18, and Nicola George, 17, the latter of whom is having a brilliant week at the 10k at Clermont Ferrand this week including beating the top seed yesterday; so that her world ranking is assured on Monday week come what may

Plus Mel South and Naomi Cavaday, of course, who may want to have a say in matters

Let fascinating battle commence

Good grief, didn't mean that to happen!

When I said let the young 'uns shine, I didn't mean in R1 against our best older 'uns!

The Main Draw lottery has kicked team GB in the teeth with Laura Robson against Naomi Cavaday; Heather Watson against Mel South; and Tara Moore against Jade Curtis.

After the kind draw at Shrewsbury this is payback time, clearly

Hey ho; may the better generation win...

Congratulations to Anna and Helen

Great to record Anna Smith and Helen Parish successfully plotted their way through the qualifiers into the Main Draw

That's 10 Brit Girls in the MD in total...

Yesterday saw some of the first round proper with two particular highlights: Lisa Whybourn beat 350 ranked Piter of Poland 3-6 6-1 6-2 to ensure a ranking of at least #640 on Monday ; and the first battle of the generations saw a high quality match over three sets with Jade Curtis prevailing over Tara Moore 7-5 in the third set tiebreaker +

4 Brit Girls still standing

The rest of R1 of the singles has now been played out with Naomi and Heather joining Lisa and Jade in R2

Heather snuck a little closer to Laura and Tara in the senior rankings by being the only young 'un to overcome an older 'un in the Brit v Brit clashes; beating Mel 10-8 in the first set tiebreak and then taking the second set 6-2; so that's another +

Sets up a mouth watering R2 between the current world junior #3 (our Heather! ) and the current world junior #1, Kristina Mladenovic of France

Close as Heather v Mel was, Naomi v Laura was even closer arguably in the battle of the lefties; Naomi prevailed 6-4 7-6 to set up a clash with top seed Pervak (junior AO champion and world senior #138 now)in R2

In theory an all Brit Girl last 4 is possible as they are all in different quarters; in reality, all are outranked in R2 so any further progress will be a bonus. Still, as we said at the start of this thread, no harm in believing...

Lisa Whybourn strikes again!!

OK, it's not going to be an all Brit Girl semi-final line-up with the other three going down in R2; but YAY Lisa, last up, swept away the earlier disappointment for the home crowd by beating the 6th seed, Lenka Wienerova of Slovakia, in a tight finish taking the thrid set tiebreak 7-5

That's a world ranking with a vengeance on Monday, Lisa!
4th seed next up in the QFs; good luck Lisa

Earlier, Heather Watson had given Mladenovic a run for her money before going down 6-2 4-6 2-6 so that's but also

Top seed Pervak overcame Naomi 6-4 6-2 ; and Jade could only do one game better against Lina Stanciute of Lithuania compared with their match-up in Helsinki last week, going down 6-2 6-4

It's been a great run, Lisa!

World #150 Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden carried the day 6-2 6-3 to end Lisa's run at the QF stage; but what a fantastic couple of weeks Lisa's had here and Shrewsbury...her first senior world ranking on Monday is likely to be #595 or thereabouts; impressive

Here's hoping Lisa can keep up the good work for the rest of the season!

[POSTSCRIPT: YAY for Anna Smith lifting the dubs title with Johanna Larsson of Sweden, who also won the singles. Well done Anna ]