IT'S WATSON v WHYBOURN IN THE SFs (23.07.10)

Brit youngsters Tara Moore and Fran Stephenson are through to the doubles final at this week's Wrexham $25k ITF and there will be one Brit in the singles final too! Heather Watson and Lisa Whybourn took the honours in today's two all-Brit QFs and battle it out tomorrow for the right to play Mirza (IND) or Laine (FIN) for the title on Sunday. See the Wrexham thread on the public forum for more. GOOD LUCK, YOU 4 BRITS!

DUBLIN: DAN COX THROUGH TO THE FINAL (23.07.10)

Excellent news from the $15k mens ITF in Dublin where the Dan Cox big bounce back to form has continued! Lifting the Frinton title last week will have him +7 to be GB #15 in the next rankings list; he's reached the final in Dublin, gutsy 3-setters R2 onwards, so that he'll be closing in on a return to the GB top 10 in the one after! In today's SF he beat the 5th seed McGee (IRL) 7-4 in the third set tie-breaker. EXCELLENT, DAN!

DUBLIN: DAN COX LIFTS SECOND TITLE ON THE BOUNCE! (24.07.10)

19 year old Dan Cox has today rounded off a dream fortnight by beating his 7th seeded Italian opponent 6-1 3-6 6-3 in the final of the $15k ITF in Dublin. From GB #22 to GB #10 in two bounds: seriously back in business! BRILLIANT STUFF, DAN!

WREXHAM: DOUBLES TITLE FOR MOORE & STEPHENSON (24.07.10)

It'll be 4th seeded Brit Heather Watson, aged 18, against top seed Sania Mirza (IND) for the singles title tomorrow at the $25k ITF in Wrexham. Today saw two even younger Brits, 17 year old Tara Moore and 16 year old Fran Stephenson, superbly take the doubles title by winning the final Match Tie-Breaker 13-11 against the top seeds Mirza and Laine (FIN). CONGRATULATIONS, GIRLS!

WREXHAM: HEATHER WATSON TAKES THE SINGLES TITLE (25.07.10)

What a brilliant week-end! Making it a total of three titles for British players today was 18 year old Heather Watson at the $25k ITF in Wrexham. Up against top seed Sania Mirza of India ranked world #131, she won 6-2 6-4 to lift the title without dropping a set all week. See the Wrexham thread on the public forum. This is a seriously good result for Heather, GB #5 a week tomorrow. WAY TO GO, HEATHER!

RANKINGS: ROBSON, WATSON, WHYBOURN, COX ON THE UP (26.07.10)

Lots of good news in this week's rankings and assured in next week's too for the British young touring pros. New Career Highs today for 16 year old Laura Robson and 19 year old Lisa Whybourn; CH new week for 18 year old Heather Watson; 19 year old Dan Cox back in the GB top 10 next week. See the Ranking News threads on the public forum for details. GO, YOU BRIT YOUNG 'UNS!

STANFORD: SARAH BORWELL HAS CAREER-BEST DUBS WIN IN R1 (27.07.10)

Without exaggeration, it is fair to say that gb #1 womens doubles exponent Sarah Borwell, in tandem with partner Raquel Kops-Jones (USA), has today enjoyed the best result of her doubles career to date. At the $700k WTA Premier in Stanford, California, USA they were up against the top seeds (and the current #5 pairing in the 2010 Sony Ericsson Race) Lisa Raymond (USA) and Rennae Stubbs (AUS) in the first round. Superbly holding their nerve when a dream start was in danger of turning into a nightmare, they took the match 6-0 4-6 12-10. WONDERFUL, SEZ!

CHISWICK: MARCUS WILLIS DOWNS TOP SEED (28.07.10)

GB #16 Marcus Willis, aged 19, produced one of his best ever results today. At the $15k mens ITF in Chiswick, he was up against top seed Guillermo Alcaide (ESP) ranked 213 and overturned a rankings deficit of 419 to take their R2 encounter 3-6 6-3 7-6(4) to join fellow Brits David Rice, Joshua Milton and form horse Dan Cox (that's 12 straight match wins for Dan now!) in the QFs. EXCELLENT, MARCUS!

ISTANBUL: ELENA BALTACHA BEATS WORLD #8 (29.07.10)

Brits beating top seeds seem to be all the rage these past few days! GB #1 Elena Baltacha jumped on the bandwagon today...and how! Up against world #8 and reigning French Open champion Francesca Schiavone (ITA) in R2 of the $220k WTA International in Istanbul, Turkey Bally did the job with something to spare: 6-4 6-2. Next up in the QF is 6th seed and world #35 Andrea Petkovic (GER). STUPENDOUS, BALLY!

CHISWICK: JOSHUA MILTON DOWNS 2nd SEED IN SEMI (30.07.10)

Marcus Willis, who beat the top seed in R2, fell in the QF but happily for home fans another Brit has taken up the giant-killing in today's SFs. 20 year old Joshua Milton has just had a title win drop off the radar from 12 months ago so that he sank from GB #13 to GB #21 and from world #554 to world #741 in this week's rankings. Josh found the perfect riposte today, though, overcoming the French 2nd seed, world ranked 283, 6-3 in the third to face 4th seed Mecir (SVK) ranked 394 in the final. WELL DONE, JOSH!

VIGO: KATIE O'BRIEN TAKES PLACE IN SINGLES FINAL (31.07.10)

Great news from the $25k womens ITF in Vigo, Spain where GB's Anna Smith and France's Anais Laurendon justified their top seeding by lifting the dubs title today and GB #2 singles exponent, Katie O'Brien, has justified her #2 seeding in the singles by winning through to tomorrow's final. She was runner-up in Woking a fortnight ago and will hope to go one better but it's against top seed Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) so no easy task. YAY, ANNA! ; GO, KATIE!

TITLE SHOTS FOR ANDY MURRAY AND TARA MOORE, TOO! (31.07.10)

Three chances for singles titles for Brits around the world pro tours tomorrow! World #4 Andy Murray could pick up his first title of the year at the ATP250 in Los Angeles, USA where he is top seed, beat 4th seed Lopez (ESP) 6-0 1-6 6-4 in the SFs and now faces world #20 Sam Querrey (USA) seeded 2 for the title. As mentioned below, Katie O'Brien has a title shot in Spain and, although Josh Milton had to settle for runner-up in the mens $15k ITF in Chiswick, 17 year old Tara Moore is through to the final of the $10k womens ITF there and where she now meets Amy Bowtell of Ireland. 3 TITLES, PLEASE!

CHISWICK: TITLES FOR TARA MOORE AND JOSS RAE (01.08.10)

With Andy Murray and Katie O'Brien both falling at the final singles hurdle, it was 17 year old Tara Moore who claimed the only singles title for Britain today. At the $10k ITF in Chiswick she beat Bowtell (IRE) 6-3 6-4 to round off an excellent 10 weeks which has really seen Tara rediscover her mojo. Up from world #665 to, very likely, a number in excess of her Career High #482 when the Chiswick points go on. GB had one hand on the dubs title too with Joss Rae and Emelyn Starr (AUS) winning that. WELL DONE, GIRLS!

[POSTSCRIPT: Another correct assessment from yours truly! Tara did indeed chalk up a new CH today: #477 ; YAY, Tara ]

RANKINGS: WATSON, WHYBOURN & COX ON THE UP AGAIN! (02.08.10)

Big advances in the singles rankings for the second week running for young Brits Heather Watson, Lisa Whybourn and Dan Cox. Tara Moore has joined in the fun this week and will feature again next week. See the Rankings News threads on the public forum for details. WAY TO GO, ALL YOU YOUNG BRITS!

COPENHAGEN: R1 WINS FOR BALTACHA & KEOTHAVONG (03.08.10)

Superb turnarounds at the $220k WTA International in Copenhagen today for both GB #1 Elena Baltacha and GB #3 Anne Keothavong! First up, Annie K went 1-6 down to world #62 Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) but fought back to take the next two 6-4 6-3; overlapping, Bally was up against Marina Erakovic (NZL) and dropped the first set 3-6 before coming back 6-3 6-1. 6th seed Polona Hercog (SLO) next for Annie and 2nd seed Na Li (CHN) for Bally. GOOD LUCK IN R2, GIRLS!

ASTANA: EMILY WEBLEY-SMITH TURNS TABLES ON ORLOVA (04.08.10)

Excellent news from Kazakhstan where GB #12 Emily Webley-Smith, having pre-qualified, today reached the second round of the $50k ITF in Astana to book her return to the top 400 on Monday. She lost last week in 3 sets to Natalia Orlova (RUS) at the Almaty $25k but gained revenge against Orlova today with the Russian retiring when down a set and 0-4. See the Emily in Kazakhstan thread on the public forum. WELL DONE, EMILY!

ROEHAMPTON: NEIL SKUPSKI DOWNS TOP SEED TO MAKE SFs (05.08.10)

Yet another instance of a top seed falling to a Brit! 20 year old unranked wild card Neil Skupski (Ken's bro) is through to the singles semis of the Roehampton $15k ITF having today dispatched top seed and world #284 Laurent Rochette (FRA) 6-3 6-3. Joshua Milton is in the other semi having also won his QF, against fellow Brit Alex Slabinsky, 6-3 6-3. Both have seeded opposition tomorrow. EXCELLENT, NEIL; GL, BOTH!

VANCOUVER: JAMES WARD DRUBS WORLD #102 (06.08.10)

GB #4 James Ward had an excellent grasscourt season and has carried on the giant-killing on the Hard Plexipave of the $100k ITF in Vancouver, Canada! Having won through the qualifiers, he yesterday took out the second seed and world #102 Tobias Kamke (GER) 6-4 6-2 in R2 of the Main Draw. With second seeds Flemski and Dom Inglot, playing with Treat Huey (PHI), through to the dubs SFs, it's already been a great week for Brits in both Vancouver draws! SUPERB, JAMES; LIKEWISE, GUYS!

WEEK 31: TITLE SHOTS FOR DOM INGLOT AND JOSH MILTON (07.08.10)

More title shots for Brits on the world pro tours! At the Roehampton $15k ITF, Neil Skupski and Oliver Golding went down narrowly in the dubs final, but unseeded GB #20 Josh Milton accounted for one Indian seed in the singles semis and faces another in the final, Josh's secodn singles final in 8 days! 20 year old Josh, world #745 (but bouncing back for the next two Mondays!), beat world #478 Karan Rastogi 6-0 7-5 with world #448 Vishnu Vardhan next up. Flemski went down in their semi, 7-10 in the MTB, at the Vancouver $100k ITF so it's Dom Inglot, GB's dubs #6, flying the flag after he and Treat Huey (PHI) won their SF 6-3 6-3. Dom has rocketed up the dubs rankings, since completing his time at the University of Virginia, from unranked a year ago to yet another new Career High this week of world #137. LIFT THE TITLES, GUYS!

ROEHAMPTON: JOSH MILTON TAKES THE TITLE (08.08.10)

A superb fortnight for GB's Josh Milton finished, well, superbly with him taking down his second Indian seed in consecutive matches in the final of the Roehampton $15k ITF to go one better than being runner-up at the Chsiwick $15k ITF last week. Josh won 7-6(4) 2-6 6-3 against the world #448. Clearly, Josh belongs in the world top 500 and that's where he'll be, for the first time, on Monday week. EXCELLENT, JOSH!