RIO: AMANDA CARRERAS BACK ON SONG (04.05.10)

May, her birthday month, and South America seem to bring the best out of GB #12 Amanda Carreras! Last May saw her as ITF's woman player of the month having lifted her maiden, back to back, senior titles in Turkey after her senior pro career took off with a successful 2 weeks on South American clay in the March. Still 19 for nearly another fortnight, Amanda is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the claycourt $25k ITF there this week and has kicked off her campaign with an impressive win in R1 over 8th seed Mailen Auroux (ARG) 6-3 7-6(5). WAY TO GO, AMANDA!

FUKUOKA: WINS FOR MEL SOUTH & NAOMI BROADY (05.05.10)

GB #5 Mel South has an intriguing second round encounter at the $50k ITF in Fukuoka, Japan having won her R1 today 6-3 6-0. Next up is her doubles partner for the week 5th seed Ksenia Lykina (RUS) ranked 180. Meanwhile, GB #8 Naomi Broady pulled off a great result in R1 taking down 7th seed Tomoko Yonemura (JPN) ranked 195 recovering from a 1-6 reverse in the first set to take the next two 7-5 7-6(2). Next up for Naomi is Ellen Barry (NZL) who beat last week's Gifu $50k title winner, Pliskova ranked 186, in R1. KEEP GOING, GIRLS!

EDINBURGH: CAN LISA WHYBOURN GO ONE BETTER? (06.05.10)

It would be excellent if GB #15 Lisa Whybourn, already guaranteed a new Career High ranking on Monday, could celebrate her 19th birthday on Tuesday even more having picked up her maiden tour senior title this week-end! She was beaten finalist at last week's Bournemouth $10k and is seeded 2, and the highest seed still standing, in this week's Edinburgh $10k. GB's Tara Moore and Anna Fitzpatrick might disagree, of course, as all 3 are through to the QFs! GOOD LUCK, GIRLS!

RIO: AMANDA CARRERAS INTO DOUBLES FINAL (07.05.10)

GB #12 Amanda Carreras, 20 next week and ranked 421, put up a great fight in the singles QF of the $25k ITF in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil before going down 6-2 6-7(6) 4-6 to the 4th seed Florencia Molinero (ARG) ranked 286. Superb consolation for Amanda in the doubles where she and Bianca Botto of Peru put out top seeded Molinero and partner 10-8 in the Match Tie-Breaker of their SF to now face the second seeds in the final. SUPERB, AMANDA & GOOD LUCK!

EDINBURGH: TWO FINALS FOR TARA MOORE (08.05.10)

Tara Moore, 17, another of GB's hugely promising crop of young women touring pros seems to be having a return to form after a recent barren spell at this week's $10k ITF in Edinburgh. She's through to the final after beating Lisa Whybourn's QF conqueror 5th seed Alize Lim (FRA) recovering from a first set bagel to take the next two sets 6-4 6-4. Tough ask next though against 3rd seed Timea Babos (HUN) who, intriguingly, happens to be Tara's doubles partner this week. Timea and Tara are through to the dubs final too where they face top seeded British pair Joss Rae and Amanda Elliott. NICE WORK, TARA!

DOUBLES TITLES FOR CARRERAS, RAE & ELLIOTT (09.05.10)

No singles titles for Brits in the womens ITFs this week but two doubles titles in Rio and Scotland! Amanda Carreras and Bianca Botto (PER) lifted the $25k in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 10-8 in the final Match Tie-Breaker whilst Joss Rae and Amanda Elliott defeated Tara Moore and partner 7-6(5) 6-4 in the final of the Edinburgh $10k. Tara's dubs partner beat her in the singles final 2&2 but that's still a very encouraging week for Tara. Meantime... CONGRATULATIONS BOTH AMANDAS & JOSS!

SAVANNAH: JAMES WARD & JAMIE BAKER LIFT DOUBLES TITLE (09.05.10)

The British men perhaps trumped the womens two ITF doubles titles this week courtesy of James Ward and Jamie Baker at the ATP $50k Challenger in Savannah, Georgia, USA. James also won a round of singles (superbly beating the world #121 before coming up against the eventual title winner in R2) but they went all the way after putting out the 3rd seeds in the dubs R1 winning the final 6-3 6-4. EXCELLENT, GUYS!

WOMENS RANKINGS: NEW SINGLES CHs FOR CAVADAY & WHYBOURN (10.05.10)

The new ATP rankings lists are slow coming out today; in the meantime, plenty of good news in the WTA lists for British players. GB #4 Naomi Cavaday, just 21, is starting to make inroads towards the GB top 3 being just 50 places adrift of Katie O'Brien thanks to her +17 today to a new CH #174 with the points for Naomi's Brescia $25k title going on; and Lisa Whybourn, 19 tomorrow, leaps +46 today to a new CH #454. See the Rankings News (Women) thread on the public forum for more. CONGRATULATIONS NAOMI & LISA!

BORDEAUX: 3 BRITISH WINS IN ROUND 1 (10.05.10)

It's all good news so far for the British contingent at the $85k ATP Challenger in Bordeaux, France this week! GB #2 Alex Bogdanovic produced an excellent first round in the singles beating Robby Ginepri (USA) 6-1 6-4 to set up a tough R2 against Richard Gasquet (FRA) seeded 7. The dubs has the intriguing prospect of 2nd seeds GB's Ross Hutchins and partner meeting 3rd seeds GB pairing Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming in the semis still on track with both pairs saefly through R1. GO, YOU BRITS!

KURUME: MEL SOUTH THROUGH TO ROUND 2 (11.05.10)

GB #5 Mel South is continuing her battle back up the rankings at this week's $50k ITF in Kurume, Japan and is just two wins away from a return to the top 200. The QF may be against the top seed but before that, having won her R1 today against former top 50 player Marina Erakovic (NZL) 6-3 7-6, she next has Akaya Maekawa (JPN) in her path; Maekawa having today beaten GB #11 Jade Curtis in 3 sets. KEEP BATTLING, MEL!

KURUME: MEL SOUTH WINS AGAIN (13.05.10)

Mel South is just one win away from re-entering the world top 200 now having avenged the defeat of fellow Brit Jade Curtis by taking down Maekawa of Japan 6-3 6-3 in R2. She's got the chance now to avenge Naomi Broady's R1 defeat by left handed Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) when she faces her in the QF. Kristyna's right handed twin Karolina is 2nd seed and, if she gets there, Mel's likely opponent in the final. GOOD LUCK, MEL!

MADRID: ANDY MURRAY EASES THROUGH TO QFs (14.05.10)

It's been tough going for GB #1 Andy Murray since making the final of the Australian Open but there are signs of a welcome return to form this week with the season's second Slam, the French Open, just around the corner. At the ATP1000 in Madrid, world #4 Andy has conceded just 9 games in his first two matches and in the QFs now faces world #12 David Ferrer (ESP) who in fact beat Andy at last week's ATP1000 in Rome. Nice early chance for revenge, then! GO, ANDY!

POZZUOLI: DAN EVANS WITH ANOTHER SEED TO BEAT! (15.05.10)

With Andy Murray going down in Madrid last night, the last man standing for GB on the world tours in singles this week is GB #7 Dan Evans, 19, at the claycourt $15k ITF in Pozzuoli, Italy. Dan's points for winning the 2009 Jersey Challenger came off recently dropping his ranking from near his Career High #248 down into the 360s. His climb back up the rankings begins this week, it seems! Dan has had three straight sets wins so far including putting out the 2nd seed and world #229 in R1 and in yesterday's QF downing 5th seed J-M Aranguren (ARG) ranked 258. Next up 6th seed Simone Vagnozzi (ITA) for a place in the final. EXCELLENT, DAN!

WARSAW: KEOTHAVONG'S IMPORTANT WEEK STARTS EARLY (15.05.10)

This time last year saw Anne Keothavong, then GB #1 but currently GB #2, have a brilliant run through to the SFs on the red clay of Warsaw, Poland WTA. Her intervening 6 months injury time-out sees her starting her defence of her Warsaw points in the pre-qualifiers but, hey, if she reaches the SFs again she'll be 20 points up on the deal! Nice start made today; Annie beat Claudia Jans (POL) 6-3 6-3 with Tatiana Poutchek (BLR) next up in Q2. GOOD LUCK, ANNIE!

RALEIGH: JOHANNA KONTA LIFTS TITLE (16.05.10)

Excellent news all round from the $50k ITF in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA! Johanna Konta has confirmed unequivocally her intention to represent GB as soon as citizenship formalities have run their course. She's still AUS for now in name only so we can regard her title win today, on the eve of her 19th birthday, as a win for team GB! A big jump in the rankings for Jo tomorrow to the verge of the top 250 and more healthy competition for Laura Robson, Heather Watson et al in the years to come!!

WTA RANKINGS: NEW CHs FOR KONTA, CARRERAS & WHYBOURN (17.05.10)

Claiming Johanna Konta for GB (she will be applying for citizenship as soon as she can in August apparently), today's new WTA rankings has another three Career Highs for Britons: Jo, on her 19th birthday, is +77 after her title win in the Raleigh $50k to a new CH #266 just 6 places behind Laura Robson who is GB's #6; Amanda Carreras, just 20, is +21 today to new CH #397 nipping past Jade Curtis to become GB #11; and Lisa Whybourn, just 19, is +15 to new CH #439. GREAT STUFF, GIRLS!

STRASBOURG: STUNNING WIN FOR ELENA BALTACHA (18.05.10)

GB #1 Elena Baltacha produced probably her best ever result on clay today by taking down last year's French Open quarter finalist Sorana Cirstea (ROU) in round 1 of the $220k WTA International in Strasbourg. Her win 6-3 7-5 against the world #34 brings her a second round match against Anastassia Rodionova (AUS) ranked 99 who won her first round match from 1-5 15-40 down in the third. Here's hoping for no escape this time! GO, BALLY!

KATOWICE: DAN SMETHURST STAYS ON TRACK (19.05.10)

With Elena Baltacha having to retire from Strasbourg with a bad back (her coach's twitter gives hope that she'll be OK for Roland Garros next week), attention has turned to GB #5 Dan Smethurst who is on a new Career High ranking of world #337 this week and second seed at the $15k ITF in Katowice, Poland. He's got a very good chance of being GB's last man or woman standing in week 20; seeded to meet Jerzy Janowicz (POL) ranked 281 in the final. Up against Polish wildcard Blazej Koniusz in the QFs tomorrow. GOOD LUCK, DAN!

WEEK 20: MORGAN PHILLIPS LAST BRIT STANDING (21.05.10)

The honour of being last man or woman flying the British flag on the senior world pro tours in week 20 has fallen to GB #8 Morgan Phillips who's on a new Career High singles ranking this week as world #406 (see the Rankings News (Men) thread on the public forum). Mors is seeded 3 at the $10k ITF at Valldoreix, Barcelona, Spain and has justified his seeding winning his QF today against the 7th seed to now face Russian qualifier Ivan Nedelko in the semis. KEEP GOING, MORS!

FRENCH OPEN: 4 BRITS IN SINGLES MAIN DRAWS (22.05.10)

The claycourt Slam gets under way at Roland Garros, Paris tomorrow with, superbly, 3 British women as Direct Acceptances into the Main Draw of the singles and, inevitably it seems, just Andy Murray in the mens. Andy is seeded 4, mind, but has been bowled a googly in round 1: Richard Gasquet of France. Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong have also been given tough first rounds, against seeds, so that in truth the best British prospect to make the womens round 2 is Katie O'Brien drawn against Jill Craybas (USA). GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY!