KATIE O'BRIEN: NEW CH THIS WEEK, GB #1 NEXT WEEK! (03.11.09)

Yesterday's WTA singles rankings list has Katie O'Brien (4th seed at the ITF $50,000+H tournament in Ismaning, Germany this week) at a new Career High #90 this week and, with Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha still side-lined this week with injury and points dropping off from this time last year, Katie will regain her status as GB #1 on Monday. Once Annie returns from her long term injury in the New Year and Bally is back from (we hope) her shorter injury, it'll make for an interesting jockeying for position but in the meantime....CONGRATULATIONS, KATIE!

ISMANING: MEL SOUTH BEATS TOP SEED (04.11.09)

With Katie O'Brien already safely through to the second round 6-3 6-3 against Hofmanova of Austria earlier in the day, GB #4 Mel South produced her best singles result, arguably, since Edgbaston 2008 when she took down the top seed (Voegele of Switzerland world ranked #75) today at the ITF $50,000+H tournament in Ismaning, Germany. Having stormed the first set 6-1 but lost a tight second 5-7, Mel regrouped magnificently to take the final set 6-4. All being well, Mel's journey back to the world top 100 starts here! SUPERB, MEL!!

CHARLOTTESVILLE: DOMINIC INGLOT CAN DO SINGLES TOO! (05.11.09)

Having burst onto the radar with five straight doubles titles on the ITF Futures scene during September and October, 23 year old Londoner Dominic Inglot has stepped up a gear in singles this week at the ATP $50,000 Challenger in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Dominic won his second round against Croatian 7th seed Roko Karanusic, world ranked #161, by taking the third set 6-0; his QF is against USA's Donald Young who himself put out the 4th seed yesterday. EXCELLENT, DOMINIC!

CHARLOTTESVILLE: DOMINIC INGLOT ALSO DOING DOUBLES! (06.11.09)

Results of singles QFs awaited but nice to confirm that Dominic Inglot is still cutting it in doubles having stepped up to ATP $50k Challenger level in Charlottesville, Virginia this week following his fantastic run at ITF Futures level over the last couple of months. Playing as Wild Cards (by virtue of Dom's recent years at University of Virginia), Dominic and his partner Rylan Rizza of the USA, put out the 4th seeds in Round 1 and then yesterday they won their QF comfortably 6-4 6-1. Likely match-up in the semis against Australian 2nd seeds. GO, DOMINIC!


POSTSCRIPT: Dom and Rylan beat the 2nd seeds in the semi but just went down in the final

SUNDERLAND: JADE CURTIS & JEN REN INTO SINGLES SEMIS (07.11.09)

Home hopes are still flying high at this week's ITF $10,000 tournament in Sunderland. Top seed 19 years old Jade Curtis from Cornwall takes on world #4 junior Babos of Hungary in today's semis whilst 16 years old Sheffield born Jen Ren faces 5th seed Mezak of Croatia; and in the doubles Jen and younger sister Jess are into the final with a Dutch pair to beat for the title. GOOD LUCK, GIRLS!

SUNDERLAND: MAIDEN SENIOR TITLES FOR JEN REN & JESS REN (08.11.09)

Excellent to be able to report first senior titles for the Ren sisters! Jen, aged 16, and Jess, only just 15, won the doubles title at the Sunderland ITF $10k by beating their Dutch opponents 3-6 6-4 10-8 in the final. Exciting finish and exciting to contemplate yet more young British title winners! CONGRATULATIONS JEN & JESS!!

ANDY MURRAY WINS TITLE ON RETURN FROM INJURY (09.11.09)

GB #1 Andy Murray has made a typically classy return from injury to pick up the ATP500 singles title at Valencia yesterday almost at a canter, it seemed, to underline just how good he is. He took the final 3&2 against Russia's Youzhny, having had a good work-out with Spain's Verdasco in the semis, and now heads to Paris for the ATP1000 and then to London's O2 arena for the season grand finale. GO, ANDY!

KATIE O'BRIEN REGAINS GB #1 STATUS (10.11.09)

As anticipated, Anne Keothavong's reign as GB #1 came to an end yesterday owing to her long injury lay-off and her place at the top has been taken, by a whisker from Elena Baltacha, by Katie O'Brien who has this year recaptured and in fact surpassed her form of 2007 when she was GB #1 for the first time. All being well, all three will be fit and healthy for the majority of 2010 and head onwards and upwards deeper into the world top 100. See the Rankings News (Women) thread on the public forum. Meantime... CONGRATULATIONS, KATIE!

LAURA ROBSON WINS OPENER IN MINSK (11.11.09)

Great to be able to report that Laura Robson had an excellent win in the first round of the $50,000 ITF tournament in Minsk yesterday beating an opponent ranked 208 places above her by the comfortable margin of 3&2. It's been a learning curve this year for Laura on the seniors with some good wins in qualies and near misses in Main Draws (notably against Hantchukova at Wimbledon); this was in fact her first Main Draw win of 2009; all being well it'll be onwards and upwards in 2010 for Laura who's still only 15 years old until January. GOOD WORK, LAURA!

JERSEY: DAN EVANS & DAN SMETHURST INTO ROUND 2 (12.11.09)

It seems that if you were British your name had to be Dan to progress beyond round 1 of the singles at the ATP 42,500Euro Challenger the Main Draw of which got under way in Jersey yesterday! Dan Evans won 3&3 and now faces the 4th seed whilst Dan Smethurst won 7-6(3) 6-2 and now faces not the second seed as scheduled but his slayer. With apologies, clearly in both cases DAN'S THE MAN!

JADE CURTIS & LAURA ROBSON INTO THEIR LAST 8s (13.11.09)

Only two Brits left standing in singles now this week and it's Jade Curtis at the ITF $10k in Jersey and Laura Robson at the ITF $50k in Minsk. Jade is 2nd seed in Jersey and today faces Dutch 7th seed Kiki Bertens in her QF whilst Laura has to contend with Russian 4th seed and world #118 Vitalia Diatchenko. FLY THE FLAG, GIRLS!

JERSEY: JADE CURTIS WINS HER SINGLES QF (14.11.09)

With Laura Robson going down in Minsk it's Jade Curtis alone who carries the British flag into the weekend thanks to a typically dilligent win in the QFs of the Jersey ITF $10k. Despite dropping the first set 3-6 Jade fought back to take the next two 6-4 6-2 and now takes on Matea Mezak of Croatia who accounted for Jen Ren in Sunderland last week. Last week's winner, Babos of Hungary, is in the other semi. GO, JADE!

GOOD STARTS FOR JOSS RAE & DANI BROWN IN ESPERANCE (15.11.09)

No British finalists today, unusually for 2009, so time to think week 46! Getting the ball rolling at the ITF $25k tournament in Esperance, 740 kms East of Perth on the southern coast of Western Australia, Joss Rae and Dani Brown had comfortable wins in the second round of qualifying after byes in Q1 and now both face New Zealander opposition in Q3; all being well they'll both be joining Emily Webley-Smith in the Main Draw when it starts and all avoid Alicia Molik in R1! See the Esperance thread on the public forum. GOOD LUCK EMILY, JOSS & DANI...

ESPERANCE: DANI BROWN QUALIFIES FOR MAIN DRAW (16.11.09)

Dani Brown continued her excellent Australian tour by winning her final round of qualifying today 3&3 to join Emily Webley-Smith in the Main Draw. Unfortunately Joss Rae went down by the same margin. The good news is that Dani and Emily have both avoided Molik, former world #8 now on her comeback, in round 1! See the Esperance thread on the public forum. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU, GIRLS!

EMILY WEBLEY-SMITH DOWNS 8th SEED IN ESPERANCE (17.11.09)

Emily Webley-Smith made an excellent start to her singles campaign today at the $25,000 ITF tournament in Esperance, Western Australia accounting for Nicole Riner, world #305 and 8th seed this week, by a comfortable 6-4 6-2. Probably facing another Swiss opponent in R2, Emily could be on something of a Swiss roll...(Sorry!) GREAT STUFF, EMILY, KEEP IT UP!

JAMIE BAKER DEFEATS 8th SEED IN ILLINOIS (17.11.09)

Having spent two months plundering ITF Futures in Australia and with his ranking up another 19 this week to world #330, GB #6 Jamie Baker has opened his account superbly at the $50,000 ATP Challenger in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA. He was the lowest Direct Acceptance in the Main Draw but kicked off by taking down the world #144 and 8th seed, Robert Kendrick of USA, 3-6 6-4 6-2. See the Campaign-Urbana thread on the public forum. WAY TO GO, JAMIE!

BRATISLAVA: ALEX BOGDANOVIC & ROSS HUTCHINS PROGRESS (18.11.09)

With the ATP main tour finished for the year (apart from a certain small event next week at the O2 arena!), the biggest tournament this week is the 106,500Euro Challenger in Bratislava. Nice to report British interest still in both events: Alex Bogdanovic beating Veic of Croatia 3&4 in the first round of the singles to now face the 4th seed and Ross Hutchins, seeded 2 with Tecau of Roumania in the doubles, who unfortunately had to account for two fellow Brits (Marray & Murray by 4&4) in R1. KEEP IT GOING, GUYS!

ESPERANCE: EMILY WEBLEY-SMITH v ALICIA MOLIK IN QFs (19.11.09)

Dani Brown had a heart-breaker in R1 of the singles going down to world #14 junior Hogenkamp NED 7-6 7-5 but better news from the rain-delayed $25k ITF tournament in Esperance, Western Australia is that Emily Webley-Smith duly rolled her second consecutive Swiss opponent in R2. Not an easy roll though, 6-7 7-5 6-2, to now face the daunting prospect of former world #8 Alicia Molik of Australia in the QFs. GOOD LUCK, EMILY!

ALEX BOGDANOVIC & ROSS HUTCHINS SUPERB IN BRATISLAVA! (20.11.09)

Alex Bogdanovic has produced one of his best ever results to progress to the singles QFs of the 106,500Euro ATP Challenger in Bratislava, beating 4th seed and world #107 Bjorn Phau of Germany 4-6 6-3 6-3 to now face 8th seed Levy of Israel; and Ross Hutchins and partner, seeded 2 in the doubles, won their QF 10-8 in the match tiebreaker to now face the third seeds for a place in the final. GREAT STUFF, GUYS!

JOSH GOODALL LAST GB MAN (OR WOMAN) STANDING IN WEEK 46 (21.11.09)

Nice to be able to have a headline for Josh Goodall who's had a rocky few months slipping down the rankings from world #184 and GB #2 earlier in the year. With Jamie Delgado, Ross Hutchins, Alex Bogdanovic and Emily Webley-Smith all going down yesterday, it's Josh who flies the flag into week-end #46 of 2009. Top seed for the $15k ITF Futures tournament at Roznov in the Czech Republic, he won his QF 6-2 in the third yesterday to now face home hope 3rd seed Jan Mertl in the semis with two non-seeds in the other one. The title would be sweet. GO, JOSH!