The main draw of the women’s AEGON Pro-Series event in Jersey commences today with twelve British players in singles action and thirteen competing in the doubles event.
Jade Curtis is the highest Briton seeded in the tournament at No.2, as she hopes to build on her semi-final appearance at the AEGON Pro-Series event in Sunderland last week with a first round tie against Kristina Steiert (GER).
Meanwhile in the other half of the draw, sisters Jessica and Jennifer Ren will also be looking to build on their success in Sunderland when they picked up the doubles title, as both players compete in the singles draw today.
Whilst Jessica faces an all-British clash against Nicola George, Jessica opens the day’s play in Jersey against Morgane Pons (FRA).
Helen Parish will be hoping to defy the 680 places that separate her from her opponent in the rankings in her first round match against tournament No.1 seed Stephanie Vongsouthi (FRA). Elizabeth Thomas plays Josanne Van Bennekom (NED), who suffered disappointment last week at the hands of the Ren sisters in the doubles final in Sunderland.
Ruth Seaborne also faces French opposition as she meets No.3 seed Kinnie Laisne and wild card entrant Joanna Henderson plays No.4 seed Danielle Harmsen (NED).
In the doubles event, tournament No.1 seeds Curtis and Kelly Anderson (RSA) have received a bye in the opening round and await the winners of the tie between Hannah Hume/ Samantha Vickers and Lena-Marie Hofmann (GER)/ Valerie Verhamme (BEL).
There is an all-British first round tie between the Ren sisters and Helen Parish and Alexandra Walker whilst Michelle Farley and Elisha Hande play Seaborne and Margarita-Greta Skripnik (ISR) later this afternoon.
Elsewhere on the women’s tour, Laura Robson has reached the second round of the $50k event in Minsk (BEL) after a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Yuliya Beygelzimer (UKR) and awaits the winner of the first round match between tournament No.5 seed and home favourite Darlya Kustova (BLR) and Tetyana Arefyeya (UKR).
Katie O’Brien has capped an impressive recent climb in the WTA Tour world rankings by claiming the British No.1 spot. After breaking into the top 100 world rankings for the first time in September this year, O’Brien has now moved ahead of the injured Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha and holds a world ranking of No.88.
“It is a nice accolade to have. It’s never been something I focused on because to me it was more important to break into the top 100 of the world rankings and everything else is a bonus but it’s a good way to end the season and a nice reward for all the hard work I’ve put in this year” said the new British No.1.
O’Brien added: “British women’s tennis has changed a lot and the British No.1 ranking means a lot more than it used to because everyone is ranked higher. The ranking I’m at now is going to give me a lot more opportunities but that won’t count unless I take them. If I do then I will keep moving forwards. The immediate goal is to train really, really hard in the off-season and go into next year ready to keep getting better.”
Katie O'Brien also recently won the AEGON Player of the Month for October. AEGON award winners.
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