DFS Classic - British hopes resting on Melanie South

Jun 12 2008

BRITISH interest rests squarely on the shoulders of World No. 154 Melanie South after she became the first Brit to reach the Third Round since Julie Pullen six years ago following Tuesday's sensational 6-3, 7-5 success over Austrian fourth seed Sybille Bammer.

Hopes were high that South would be accompanied into the last 16 by fellow Brits Katie O'Brien and Naomi Cavaday - but it wasn't to be.

British No.2 O'Brien was pitted against Russian qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova - ranked 17 places below O'Brien who is currently World No.112.

Shvedova broke O'Brien's serve in only the third game. But O'Brien immediately returned the compliment and the pair then held serve until 5-5 when O'Brien was broken again and Shvedova went onto take the first set 7-5.

O'Brien then called for her coach, while Shvedova went one better by leaving the court altogether to seek medical advice.

O'Brien took the second set 6-1 but still felt the need to call coach Jens Gerlach on court again.

This time their mid-court conference backfired as Shvedova perked up and raced into a 5-2 lead. O'Brien battled tooth and nail to 5-5, but the Russian then broke the Brit's serve again, before serving out 7-5.

Cavaday faced India's World No.60 Sunitha Rao and started well to claim the first set with a 6-4 scoreline.

But then Rao began to assert her authority, taking the second set 6-3 and then steam-rolling the third 6-1.