Brits are successful in Shrewsbury Club qualifying

Four of the five British players competing in yesterday’s final qualifying round enjoyed impressive victories against higher-ranked opponents to book a spot in the main draw of the biggest indoor women’s tennis event staged in the UK since 1995.

Teenager Ella McDonald delivered another fine performance to beat Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech – ranked more than 700 places higher – 7-6, 7-5.

McDonald, 17, will now face Freya Christie, another British player to progress from the qualifying rounds, today.

Christie edged a close match with Jesika Maleckova from the Czech Republic 7-6, 7-6. Maia Lumsden enjoyed a 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Alexandra Eala from the Philippines to set up a first-round match against Chinese Taipei player Joanna Garland, another of the qualifiers, tomorrow.

Eliz Maloney also produced an excellent display as she got the better of Diana Marcinkevica from Latvia 6-1, 6-4.

She will now face fellow Brit Eden Silva, one of the players to receive a main draw wild card, tomorrow.

Meanwhile, British teenager Isabelle Lacy, 16, pushed Yanina Wickmayer, a former US Open semi-finalist, all the way in the opening set before the Belgian eventually progressed 6-4, 6-0.

The other British players in first round singles action today are Sonay Kartal, Lily Miyazaki and Emily Appleton.

Kartal, the winner of the UK Pro League women’s title at The Shrewsbury Club last November, will face Katarzyna Kawa from Poland.

Miyazaki, the recent winner of a W60 tournament in Glasgow, has been drawn against Gabriela Andrea Knutson from the Czech Republic, while Appleton, who won a W25 tournament in Loughborough last week, will play German player Eva Lys.

Today’s main draw matches – singles and doubles matches will both be played – start at 10.30am, with tickets priced £12, which include a 40-page tournament programme, to enjoy the action from court-side stands available from www.worldtennistourshrewsbury.com/tickets-and-events/