FRENCH OPEN: 5 BRITS IN DOUBLES MAIN DRAWS (23.05.10)

There are 3 Brits in the mens doubles and 2 in the womens doubles of the season's second Slam, the French Open. Today's draws are hardly any kinder than yesterday's for singles. GB #1 Sarah Borwell, on a new CH ranking this week at world #67, and partner are up against the 12th seeds in R1 whilst Elena Baltacha and partner have the unseeded but maybe daunting prospect of Safina (RUS) and Szavay (HUN) and in the mens Ross Hutchins and partner face the 2nd seeds in R1. Best R1 chance, perhaps, falls to GB #1 pairing Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming against Kas (GER) who is a recognised doubles player and Chiudinelli (SUI) who is not. GO, ALL BRITS!

FRENCH OPEN: 2 BRITS REMAIN IN SINGLES (24.05.10)

It was a near drawn thing but 4th seed Andy Murray came back from the brink, two sets down, to beat Richard Gasquet, the French former world #7, in round 1 of the mens singles today to face Chela (ARG) next; and Katie O'Brien is still standing in the women with her R1 clash against Jill Craybas (USA) first up tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, Elena Baltacha went down 0-6 5-7 to the 8th seed today and Anne Keothavong lost 2&2 to the 14th seed yesterday. Tough draws GOOD LUCK, KATIE!

CARSON: JAMIE BAKER'S PROGRESS CONTINUES (25.05.10)

It's been a long old road back for Jamie Baker, 23, who is currently GB's #3. This time last year an injury had seen him down from a Career High ranking of 211 at #855 but a superb run of results since his comeback has him knocking on the door of the top 250 again; up 5 on Monday to world #257. This week he's at the $50k ATP Challenger in Carson, California, USA and today beat Mamit (PHI) 6-4 6-7(2) 6-3 in R1 with 8th seed Peter Polansky (CAN) ranked 192 next up. GREAT WORK, JAMIE!

FRENCH OPEN: 7 BRITISH MEN STILL INVOLVED! (26.05.10)

Sadly, there are no British women left in this year's claycourt Slam but, bizarrely considering there were only 4 British men involved in the Main Draws of the French Open initially, great to have 7 to follow now! Late withdrawals have given GB pair Jonny Marray and Jamie Murray plus fellow Brit Jamie Delgado (teamed with Evgeny Korolev of Kazakhstan) bonus chances at Roland Garros. So with Andy Murray, Ross Hutchins, Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski that's a magnificent 7! GOOD LUCK, GUYS!

FRENCH OPEN: ANDY MURRAY BEATS CHELA (27.05.10)

GB #1 and world #4 Andy Murray, for the second day running, had to play ducks and drakes with the wet weather in Paris today but just before darkness fell managed to see off J-I Chela of Argentina in 4 sets. Andy now faces 25th seed Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) in round 3 tomorrow. GO, ANDY!

FRENCH OPEN: WINS FOR MURRAY AND FLEMSKI (28.05.10)

Ross Hutchins and partner went so, so close (6-7 6-4 6-7) to toppling the second seeds in the mens dubs R1 but, magnificently, there are still TWO British wins to savour from Roland Garros today. Dare one say it, but Andy's wins seem to be getting gradually more emphatic as the tournament progresses. Today's over 25th seed Baghdatis (CYP) was another over 4 sets but the three he won were by comfortable margins. Excellently, Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming won their dubs R1 recovering from dropping the first set 3-6 to take the next two 6-3 6-4 with a possible match-up with the 4th seeds next. GREAT STUFF, GUYS!

FO JUNIORS: WINS FOR GOLDING & HEWITT (30.05.10)

With British involvement in the senior French Open coming to an end today (Andy going down fairly comfortably to 15th seed Berdych and Flemski running 4th seeds Moodie & Norman mighty close), great to be able to dwell on two R1 singles wins in the boys' event! GB #1 Oliver Golding beat a French wild card in straight sets whilst GB #4 Ashley Hewitt followed up winning through two rounds of qualifying by superbly beating the 8th seed and world #9 Dominic Theim (AUT) 5-7 6-4 6-3. EXCELLENT, LADS!

FO JUNIORS: ASHLEY HEWITT WINS AGAIN (31.05.10)

GB #1 Oliver Golding still awaits his R2 (second up tomorrow) but there's already one Brit through to R3 of the boys' singles at Roland Garros! Hot on the heels of his excellent win against the world #9 yesterday, GB #4 Ashley Hewitt today downed the world #21 Peter Heller (GER) 7-6(4) 6-4. No fluke, then! SUPERB, ASHLEY!

NOTTINGHAM: WEATHER SET FAIR AT LAST? (01.06.10)

It's been a frustrating start to the grass court season thanks to the rain (it was Bank Holiday week-end after all!) but here's hoping that the weather forecasters have it right that a decent spell of grass court weather will start tomorrow so that the womens $50k ITF and the mens 42,500 Euro ATP Challenger can get under way in earnest. Highlight from the qualies was Tara Moore beating the world #89 in Q3 and from the small amount of play so far from R1 Naomi Broady beating world #157 Arina Rodionova (RUS). LET SUMMER COMMENCE!

NOTTINGHAM: 5 BRITISH WOMEN INTO R2 (02.06.10)

There are guaranteed to be two home players in the QFs of the womens $50k ITF in Nottingham and, fingers crossed, there'll be three and an all-Brit final too! Top seed and GB #1 Elena Baltacha plays fellow Brit Anna Fitzpatrick at the top of the R2 draw and in the other half GB #2 Anne Keothavong plays compatriot Naomi Broady whilst GB #3 Katie O'Brien faces Carly Gullickson (USA). See the Nottingham threads on the public forum for round 1 details. GO, YOU BRITS!

NOTTINGHAM: ALEX BOGDANOVIC DOWNS 2nd SEED (02.06.10)

GB #2 Alex Bogdanovic got his grass court season off to the best possible start today by taking down world #89 Rajeev Ram (USA) 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 to join two Wards, James and Alex, as one of three Brits in R2 of the 42,500 Euro ATP Challenger in Nottingham. Next up for Boggo is Go Soeda (JPN). See the Nottingham threads on the public forum for R1 details. GO, YOU BRITS!

NOTTINGHAM: BALTACHA & KEOTHAVONG STAY ON TRACK (03.06.10)

GB #3 Katie O'Brien was unable to make it three Britons in the last 8 of the $50k ITF in Nottingham today but the possibility of GB #1 against GB #2 in Saturday's final is still on! Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong both saw off British opponents by identical margins, 6-2 6-2, in today's second round with Bally accounting for Anna Fitzpatrick and Annie for Naomi Broady. See the Nottingham threads on the public forum for more. KEEP GOING, GIRLS!

NOTTINGHAM: ALEXANDER WARD TODAY'S GIANT-KILLER (03.06.10)

It was GB #2 Alex Bogdanovic yesterday; today was GB #17 Alex Ward's turn to come up trumps against a big seed! The 20 year old was up against Taylor Dent (USA), ranked world #102 and seeded 4 this week, and came through a topsy turvy nailbiter 10-8 in the third set tie-breaker. See the Nottingham threads on the public forum for more. FANTASTIC JOB, ALEX!

NOTTINGHAM: TITLE FOR BORWELL (& BALTACHA?) (04.06.10)

With Alex Ward going down fighting in three sets in the mens QF, the women will certainly match and possibly better the mens title haul for the home nation on the Nottingham grass this week. In the $50k womens ITF doubles final today, GB #1 Sarah Borwell and regular partner Raquel Kops-Jones (USA), seeded 2 this week, won the Match Tie-Breaker 10-7 against unseeded British pairing Katie O'Brien and Naomi Broady. The singles final tomorrow features GB #1 and top seed Elena Baltacha, who put out 6th seed Xinyun Han (CHN) 7-6(5) 6-3 in the SFs today (having also today won her QF as the tournament played catch-up from the rain delays earlier in the week), and unseeded Carly Gullickson (USA). See the Nottingham threads on the publci forum for more. GO, BALLY; WAY TO GO, SEZ!

NOTTINGHAM: TITLES FOR BORWELL & BALTACHA (& FLEMSKI?) (05.06.10)

The first week of the grass court season just got even better in Nottingham today! GB #1 womens doubles Sarah Borwell and partner lifted the $50k ITF dubs yesterday; GB #1 womens singles lifted the singles title today with an emphatic 6-2 6-2 final win; and GB #1 mens doubles pair Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski could lift the 42,500 Euro ATP Challnger dubs tomorrow albeit they face the second seeds in the final. See the Nottingham threads on the public forum for more. GO, FLEMSKI; WAY TO GO, BALLY!

NOTTINGHAM: TITLES FOR BORWELL, BALTACHA & FLEMSKI! (06.06.10)

A superb first week (early rain notwithstanding!) to the grass court season came to a grand finale in Nottingham today when the titles lifted by Sarah Borwell and Elena Baltacha in the $50k womens ITF over the last two days was added to in the mens 42,500 ATP Challenger. GB #1 mens doubles pairing Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski, top seeds, beat the second seeds in the final straight sets and now move to Queens Club for the ATP250 there with the best possible preparation. See the Queens Club, Edgbaston and Nottingham threads on the public forum. WAY TO GO, SEZ, BALLY & FLEMSKI!

EDGBASTON: LAURA ROBSON LANDS FIRST WTA LEVEL MD WIN (07.06.10)

With dodgy weather moving in to blight the grass court season again, wonderful to be able to revel in 16 year old Laura Robson, GB's #6, chalking up her first ever WTA level Main Draw win! Having won her place fair and square through qualifying, Laura was up against Stefanie Voegele (SUI), world ranked #78, and took the first set 6-4. An injury flared up for Voegele at the start of the second set and unfortunately she retired at 1-0 but that does not detract (much anyway) from this further step forward for young Laura. Shot to nothing next up against 3rd seed and world #16 Yanina Wickmayer (BEL). WELL DONE, LAURA!

QUEENS CLUB: WINS FOR MURRAY, MURRAYS & FLEMSKI (08.06.10)

Rain interruptions notwithstanding, three British wins to savour from the ATP250 at Queens Club, London today! GB #1 Andy Murray had a useful work-out in R2 of the singles, having had a bye through R1, before going through in straight sets; and not long afterwards was back on court playing dubs with his brother Jamie to like effect; and GB #1 doubles pairing Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski also eased through their first match in straight sets. Gets tougher from here though! See the Queens Club thread on the public forum for more. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, GUYS!

EDGBASTON: ANNE KEOTHAVONG WINS HER ROUND ONE (09.06.10)

Sadly, GB #1 Elena Baltacha succumbed to food poisoning today adn hopefully will be fighting fit for Eastbourne next week so it was left to GB #3 Anne Keothavong to attempt to join Laura Robson in round two at the $220k WTA International in Birmingham today. Rain delay was the main winner again today but, happily for home fans, Annie K produced a typically gutsy display to down Pauline Parmentier (FRA) ranked 100 in 3 sets to face the top seed next. See the Edgbaston thread on the public forum for more. WELL DONE, ANNIE & GOOD LUCK!

EASTBOURNE: WINS FOR WATSON, SOUTH & RAE IN Q1 (12.06.10)

With Edgbaston proving something of a damp squib for British participation, great to note three wins in the first round of qualifying for the $600k WTA Premier at Eastbourne (which also hosts an ATP250 this coming week). Still in with a chance of joining British wild cards Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong in the Main Draw are GB #5 Mel South and GB #15 Joss Rae who today both beat higher ranked overseas opposition and GB #1 junior Heather Watson who edged past fellow Briton Anna Smith. See the Eastbourne thread on the public forum for more. KEEP GOING, GIRLS!