NAOMI DROPS A SET SHOCK! (11.12.09)

Apologies for the tongue in cheek headline! The unbroken run of sets won since Naomi Broady's return to the tour after injury halted at 26 when she lost her La Habana II ITF $10k semi-final first set 4-6. No doubt peeved, Naomi stormed the second 6-0 before wrapping up her 14th consecutive match win 6-4. Italian 5th seed in the final. MAKE IT THREE TITLES ON THE TROT, NAOMI!

CUBA: NAOMI BROADY TRIUMPHS AGAIN (12.12.09)

Naomi Broady's fantastic run in the Central Americas came to a wonderful conclusion today when she triumphed for the 15th consecutive match and picked up her 3rd consecutive title at the La Habana II ITF $10k to add to the La Habana I $10k and Puebla $25k titles over the previous 2 weeks. Italian 5th seed Valentine Confalonieri was the latest victim 6-2 6-2. HAIL NAOMI THE TRIUMPHANT!

NAOMI BROADY HAS BEEN MAKING HISTORY! (13.12.09)

Naomi Broady's run of 15 consecutive match wins, which has now been interrupted until next season, has had the statisticians consulting their history books! There is support for the theory that Naomi's winning streak that started in R1 at Puebla and reached 15 yesterday is the longest run of singles wins on the womens pro tours by a Briton, ever! CONGRATULATIONS, NAOMI!

NAOMI BROADY'S LEAP UP THE RANKINGS (PART TWO!) (14.12.09)

The 12 ranking points from Naomi Braody's title win at La Habana I were added to her tally today to boost her a further 18 places up the world rankings; up from #445 to #327 last Monday; up to #309 today; up again next Monday thanks to the La Habana II title. What a grand finale Naomi has given us to 2009, undoubtedly a year of Great British tennis on so many fronts. THANKS, NAOMI!

NAOMI BROADY'S LEAP UP THE RANKINGS (PART THREE!) (21.12.01)

Naomi Broady's triumvirate of triumphs which culminated in the La Habana II title has reaped its final reward today on the WTA singles rankings computer with Naomi going up another 9 places to world #300. Needless to say, that's another Career High to end 2009 on! Looks like Naomi is stepping up to the $50k level in China week commencing 4th January. GOOD LUCK IN 2010, NAOMI!

ELENA BALTACHA OPENS BRITISH ACCOUNT IN 2010 (02.01.10)

The honour of chalking up the first British win on the pro tours in 2010 has been grabbed by GB #1 Elena Baltacha in the first qualifying round of the $220k WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. After a slow start, Bally was able to crank it up against Sharon Fichman of Canada to win 4-6 6-4 6-1 and set up a Q2 encounter with Severine Bremond Beltrame of France. WELL DONE, BALLY, AND GOOD LUCK!

AUCKLAND: ELENA BALTACHA WINS AGAIN (03.01.10)

Two down one to go for British #1 Elena Baltacha to make the Main Draw of the $220k WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand! Following her win in 3 over Fichman of Canada in Q1 yesterday, it was another 3 setter today over Bremond Beltrame of France in Q2. Another Canadian, Stephanie Dubois (world ranked #105), is next up in Q3. See the Auckland thread on the public forum for more details. GO, BALLY!

SARAH BORWELL WINS IN AUCKLAND (04.01.10)

Sarah Borwell, GB #1 doubles, clocked up the first British WTA level main draw win of 2010 today nipping in front of Elena Baltacha whose chance, after winning her way through qualifying in the singles, will come tomorrow! Sarah and her partner Raquel Kops-Jones (USA) won their first round over a German pairing 4-6 6-2 10-8. See the Auckland thread on the public forum for more details. KUDOS, SEZ!!

HOPMAN CUP WIN FOR ANDY MURRAY & LAURA ROBSON (05.01.10)

It may only be an exhibition event but it's still excellent to see world #4 Andy Murray and former world #1 junior Laura Robson, stll not quite 16 years old, turning out for Great Britain in the Hopman Cup being held in Perth, Western Australia. Sharing Group B with Russia, germany and yesterdays opponents Kazakhstan they need to win the group to make Saturday's final. A good start made with Andy winning his singles comfortably, Laura putting up a very decent fight against a much more highly ranked opponent in her singles before Andy and Laura claimed the mixed doubles 12-10 in the Match Tie-Break. YAY!!

ANOTHER HOPMAN CUP WIN FOR ANDY AND LAURA! (06.01.10)

Great Britain have repeated the medicine they gave Kazakhstan first up this time winning 2-1 against Germany leaving just Russia to beat on Friday! Once again it boiled down to the mixed doubles although it must be said that Laura put up a terrific fight against world #23 Sabine Lisicki in their singles before going down; superb experience for the young Briton who should be heading to Melbourne for the Aussie Open in fine fettle. Andy will be nicely warmed up too! GOOD LUCK ON FRIDAY, TEAM GBR!

NAOMI BROADY STARTS HER 2010 WITH ANOTHER WIN (06.01.10)

Having ended 2009 with 15 straight wins and as GB #7, Naomi Broady continued her unbroken run today at the $50,000 ITF tournament in Quanzhou, China by putting out the 4th seed Julia Cohen (USA) 3-6 6-2 6-4. Cohen outranks Naomi by 90 so that's another superb win! Next up is Serbian qualifier Aleksandra Krunic. GO, NAOMI!

QUANZHOU: NAOMI BROADY'S HISTORIC RUN ENDS (07.01.10)

Round 2 of the $50,000 ITF tournament in Quanzhou, China saw Naomi Broady's phenomenal winning streak of matches come to an end today, going down 5-7 0-6. The final tally of 16 consecutive wins is the highest ever by a British woman on the tennis pro tours. She can start another run next week at the $25k ITF in Pingguo, but in the meantime... CONGRATULATIONS NAOMI, THE HISTORY GIRL!

[POSTSCRIPT: It seems that Naomi's R2 opponent was something of a dark horse going on to win the tournament!]

HOPMAN CUP: GREAT BRITAIN WIN FINAL BERTH (08.01.10)

For the third time running, Britain's match against Russia boiled down to the mixed doubles albeit Laura Robson had once again excelled herself by this time taking world #5 Dementieva close in their first set. Once again, Andy Murray and Laura were triumphant this time taking the Match Tie-Break 10-6 to earn a place against Spain in tomorrow's final. EXCELLENT, TEAM GBR, AND GOOD LUCK!

LAURA ROBSON DEFEATS WORLD #26 IN HOPMAN FINAL (09.01.10)

Although Great Britain lost their Hopman Cup final against Spain today 2-1 (going down narrowly in the mixed after Andy Murray had been unable to close out his singles against Robredo) today was arguably the highlight of the week from the perspective of the future of British tennis generally. Laura Robson, 16 years old later this month, produced the best result of her senior singles career to date beating world #26 Martinez Sanchez 6-1 7-6 taking the tie-break 8-6. FANTASTIC STUFF, LAURA!

HOBART: ELENA BALTACHA BEATS FORMER WORLD #5 (10.01.10)

GB #1 Elena Baltacha continued her hugely encouraging start to the year today beating talented Russian Anna Chakvetadze, world #5 in 2007 although now #67, 7-5 7-6(3) in the final round of qualifying for the $220k WTA tournament in Hobart, Tasmania. That's two successful qualifying competitions out of two so far in 2010; here's hoping for a Main Draw win this time. R1 is against the enigmatic Australian Jelena Dokic, ex-world #4 currently on another comeback at world #56. GO, BALLY!

NICE START TO 2010 FOR FLEMSKI IN CHENNAI (11.01.10)

The meteoric rise of GB's #1 doubles team, Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski, in 2009 showed no sign of abating in the first week of the new season. They had an excellent win over the third seeds at the ATP250 in Chennai, India in the QFs before narrowly losing the SFs 10-8 in the Match Tie-Break to the eventual title winners. A handy 90 ranking points in the locker! GO, FLEMSKI, IN 2010!

TARA MOORE QUALIFIES IN PINGGUO (12.01.10)

British youngster 17 years old Tara Moore has reached her first Main Draw of 2010 at the $25,000 ITF tournament in Pingguo, China by today beating Artamonova of Russia 6-4 in the third set of their Q3 encounter. She joins fellow Briton Naomi Broady in R1. Tough draw, though, with top seed Jing-Jing Lu of China next up. WELL DONE, TARA, AND GOOD LUCK!

PINGGUO: WINS FOR NAOMI BROADY & TARA MOORE (13.01.10)

Excellent news from China is that both Britons have won their first round matches in 3 sets. 7th seed Naomi Broady, looking to get another winning streak under way, beat Iijima of Japan 6-2 in the 3rd whilst, wonderfully, Tara Moore beat the world #213 and top seed Lu of China 7-2 in the third set tie-breaker for possibly her best ever senior result. Good luck in R2 both; meantime... FANTASTIC STUFF, TARA!!

AUSTRALIAN OPEN QUALIFYING: 5 BRITISH WINNERS IN Q1 (14.01.10)

Great news from Melbourne where qualifying for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year is now under way: of 6 Britons in the singles qualifying competition only one failed to get over the first hurdle. Mel South had the toughest assignment and so is forgiven! Wins for Dan Evans, James Ward and Alex Bogdanovic yesterday followed today by excellent wins for Naomi Cavaday and Laura Robson against higher ranked opposition. See the Australian Open thread on the public forum for the details. GO, ALL BRITS IN Q2!

GLASGOW: ANNA SMITH & CHRIS EATON COULD CLEAN UP (15.01.10)

Glasgow is this week playing host to a mens $15k ITF and a womens $10k ITF. One home title is already in the bag with Chris Eaton and Dominic Inglot beating their French final opponents today 10-2 in the Match Tie-Break. Another is assured in the singles with Chris and fellow Brit Jamie Baker through to the final. In the womens event, Anna Smith is still flying the flag in both singles and doubles. Seeded 8th, Anna today beat 4th seed Ungur (ROU) 7-5 6-0 in the singles QFs and faces her again tomorrow in the doubles final. GOOD WORK, YOU BRITS!