EASTBOURNE: HEATHER WATSON DOWNS WORLD #81 (13.06.10)

GB #10 Heather Watson, 18 last month, produced a coming of age display today for her best result yet in senior competition. In the second round of qualifying for the $600k WTA Premier tournament in Eastbourne, Heather was up against the third seed , world ranked #81 Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) and dropped the first set 2-6. No quitter, Heather battled back to take the next two 6-3 6-4 with world #109 next up in Q3 for a place in the Main Draw. See the Eastbourne thread on the public forum for more. GO, HEATHER!

EASTBOURNE: HEATHER WATSON THROUGH TO MAIN DRAW (14.06.10)

More excellent news from the $600k WTA Premier in Eastbourne today where GB 18 year old Heather Watson followed up downing the world #81 yesterday by overcoming the world #109 over three topsy-turvy sets to earn her first ever WTA level Main Draw R1 (as opposed to being a Wild Card). What's more, the R1 draw has been kindly: instead of Pennetta or Petrova it's fellow qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) albeit she's no pushover at world #48! WELL DONE, HEATHER!

EASTBOURNE: WATSON STUNS WOZNIAK IN ROUND 1 (15.06.10)

Heather Watson's dream week entered the realms of the fantastic today when the 18 year old from Guernsey gave the world #48 a fair old drubbing in R1 of the $600k WTA Premier in Eastbourne. Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) had no answer as the reigning US Open junior champion dispatched her 6-3 6-2. Next up for Heather, who on Monday will be on the brink of the world top 250 thanks to the 80 ranking points earnt here already, is world #15 Victoria Azarenko of Belarus. See the Eastbourne thread on the public forum for more. SUPERB, HEATHER!

EASTBOURNE: JAMES WARD DEFEATS WORLD #30 IN R1 (15.06.10)

GB #5 James Ward, 23, seems to like Eastbourne! He made R2 last year and in today's ATP250 singles R1 he was up against the 2nd seed and world #30 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) but didn't let that stand in his way! James was up 6-3 5-4 and serving for the match when his opponent retired. Rainer Scheuttler (GER) ranked 72 next up for James plus, having chalked a R1 dubs win with compatriot Jamie Baker, a chance to have a dart at GB #1 doubles team Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming (who put out the 3rd seeds yesterday). See the Eastbourne thread on the public forum for more. BRILLIANT, JAMES!

EASTBOURNE: JAMES WARD AND ELENA BALTACHA ON FIRE (16.06.10)

Flemski are still in it to win it (whereas Heather Watson after 4 great wins succumbed today) but pride of place in Eastbourne today is shared by GB #1 Elena Baltacha who beat the world #25 in R2 of the $600k WTA Premier and GB #5 James Ward who beat the world #72 in R2 of the ATP250. See the Eastbourne thread on the public forum for more details. WONDERFUL STUFF!

EASTBOURNE: FLEMSKI DO THE BUSINESS AGAIN! (17.06.10)

British interest in the singles came to an end today at the QF stage of both the WTA and ATP events in Eastbourne but once again team Flemski, GB #1 doubles pairing Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming, did some winning business! Having lifted the title at Nottingham and then come epically close to downing the top seeds (who became new world #1s on Monday) last week at Queens, Flemski look ready to move on up the rankings again after a few solid months around the world #50 mark. Today they beat the world #30 & #31 fairly comfortably. See the Eastbourne thread on the public forum for more. GO, FLEMSKI!

EASTBOURNE: FLEMSKI EDGED OUT IN FINAL (18.06.10)

It was another agonisingly close one but Flemski just came up short in the final of the ATP250 in Eastbourne today. GB #1 mens doubles team, Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming, took the second seeds Fyrstenberg and Matowski of Poland, world numbers 13 & 14, right to the wire before going down 10-8 in the Match Tie-Breaker. See the Eastbourne thread on the public forum for more. Saving their luck for the next tournament perhaps?! FLEMSKI FOR WIMBLEDON!

[POSTSCRIPT: Lady luck didn't exactly shine at SW19; Flemski met the Bryan twins far too early in the piece ]

WTA RANKINGS: NEW CHs FOR BALTACHA, ROBSON & WATSON (20.06.10)

Excellent boost for the British women ahead of Wimbledon starting tomorrow with big new Career Highs in the singles rankings for Elena Baltacha and Heather Watson plus a small but significant new doubles CH for Laura Robson. On the back of their superb exploits in Eastbourne, GB #1 Bally and new GB #7 Heather have knocked spots off their previous CHs in today's one day early WTA lists whilst 16 year old Laura Robson entered the world top 100 in the doubles list, up 2 to be world #99. Plenty of other good news too; see the Rankings News (Women) thread on the public forum for more. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU BRITS!

ATP RANKINGS: FLEMSKI BOTH INSIDE WORLD TOP 50 (21.06.10)

Andy Murray is still world #4 in the latest ATP singles rankings but needs a good Wimbledon if he's to keep the pack at bay behind him. Their Eastbourne exploits mean good rises in both the singles and the doubles list for James Ward plus new Career Highs for Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming who are now both nicely ensconced within the world top 50 in doubles. See the Rankings News (Men) thread on the public forum for more. EXCELLENT, FLEMSKI!

WIMBLEDON: WIN FOR MURRAY; KUDOS FOR ROBSON & WATSON (22.06.10)

Happily for home fans in search of a round one win, Andy Murray came up trumps against world #80 Jan Hajek (CZE) after a slightly slow start to go through 7-5 6-1 6-2. There being no other British singles R1 winners this year, heartening signs amongst the debris are GB #1 junior Heather Watson taking a set on her Wimbledon debut and, even more so, 16 year old Laura Robson running 4th seed Jelena Jankovic very close on Centre Court, including whacking down 13 aces, before succumbing 3-6 6-7(5). C'MON, ANDY!

WIMBLEDON: WINS FOR EATON & INGLOT; DELGADO & GOODALL (23.06.10)

With only two Brits in the singles main draw this year and only Murray winning in R1, nice to find wins in R1 of the mens doubles (a discipline proving to be very productive for Brits this year!). Chris Eaton and Dom Inglot overcame Fognina (ITA) & Ullyett (ZIM) in four sets having dropped the first on a tiebreak whilst Jamie Delgado and Josh Goodall did likewise against Spanish pair Almagro & Ventura. GOOD WORK, GUYS!

WIMBLEDON: ANDY MURRAY PERFORMS ROYALLY! (24.06.10)

HM The Queen attended today for the first time since 1977 and was treated to an exhibition of top quality by Britain's Andy Murray. It took him just 1 hour 42 minutes to polish off world #64 Jarkko Neiminen (FIN) 6-3 6-4 6-2 with 18 aces for and none against plus 31 other winners. Andy looks a contender again! WAY TO GO, ANDY!

WIMBLEDON: ANDY MURRAY VERY IMPRESSIVE AGAIN (26.06.10)

Signs are looking increasingly hopeful that GB #1 Andy Murray has timed his schedule to perfection for this year's Championships! Producing his best form since reaching the Aussie Open final in January, he cranked it up again today to dismiss the 26th seed, Gilles Simon of France, in under two hours 6-1 6-4 6-4 with another welter of aces (15) and other outright winners (21). SUPERB, ANDY!

WIMBLEDON: STRAIGHT SETS AGAIN FOR ANDY MURRAY! (28.06.10)

It was always going to be a tougher one against the new Queens Club title holder, Sam Querrey (USA) seeded 18 for the Championships, so for the first time in the tournament Andy Murray had to go beyond 2 hours in the 4th round today. Only by 6 minutes though! A scoreline of 7-5 6-3 6-4 means Andy's through to the QFs without having dropped a set. BRILLIANT STUFF, ANDY!

JUNIOR WIMBLEDON: HELLO ELEANOR DEAN! (29.06.10)

A good hand of British winners in the Boys' and Girls' singles today with Oliver Golding, James Marsalek, Laura Robson and Tara Moore all recording victories. Excitingly, a 14 year old also won today reminding us that Laura won the title two years ago at the same age. The new kid on the block is Eleanor Dean who today reached the 3rd round by beating, 6-4 in the third, former world #21 junior Ksenia Kirillova (RUS) who is 30 months older and usually playing the seniors these days. HELLO, ELLIE!

WIMBLEDON: MURRAY v NADAL NEXT! (30.06.10)

It was a battle of titans for the first two and a bit sets today between British 4th seed Andy Murray and 10th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France for the right to meet Rafa Nadal in Friday's semis. After two tiebreak sets went one apiece, the third game of the third set ebbed and flowed for 10 minutes before Andy clinched the break of serve which effectively decided the encounter. The 3rd and 4th sets both went 6-2 and Andy equals his previous best Wimby, the SF last year. GO, ANDY!

JUNIOR WIMBLEDON: QF WINS FOR GOLDING & ROBSON (01.07.10)

Great to note that we now have THREE British singles semi-finalists this Wimbledon! With Andy Murray already there in the seniors, GB #1 junior Oliver Golding followed his magnificent win against the world #1 junior yesterday by downing the 9th seed in today's Boys' QF and former world #1 junior Laura Robson made it into the Girls' SFs at the expense of fellow Brit Tara Moore. See the Wimbledon thread on the public forum for more. KEEP GOING, YOU BRITS!

WIMBLEDON: HOME HOPES REST ON BOYS' DOUBLES (02.07.10)

With Andy Murray today going down to the irrepressible Rafa Nadal that made it three SF losses out of three with Oliver Golding and Laura Robson having lost earlier in the day. Hopes for a home title now rest on the Boys' doubles which is also now at the SF stage and still has two Brit pairs standing: Lewis Burton & George Morgan and Liam Broady & Tom Farquharson could even make it an all-Brit final. MAKE IT SO, LADS!

MANCHESTER: BAKER v WARD FOR THE TITLE (03.07.10)

Whilst one grass court singles title has eluded British grasp for a 74th year down in SW19, another one is guaranteed to be in British hands tomorrow! The final of the $10k ITF in Manchester will be contested between the top seed, GB #3 Jamie Baker, and the second seed, GB #4 James Ward. Bragging rights up for grabs as well, then! GO, ALL BRITS!

WIMBLEDON: BROADY & FARQUHARSON LIFT TITLE (04.07.10)

Whilst Rafa Nadal was cementing his place as world #1 by regaining the senior singles title, over on Court One four British lads were doing the home nation proud contesting the Boys' doubles final. A good close contest too at 7-6 6-4. Commiserations to the runners-up Lewis Burton & George Morgan. Congratulations to Liam Broady & Tom Farquharson. WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONS!