Seven British players progressed from the first qualifying round as the ITF World Tennis Tour returned to Shropshire.
Emily Appleton, Alice Gillan, Beth Grey, Hephzibah Oluwadare, Ranah Akua Stoiber, Ava Williamson and Emma Wilson were all winners on the opening day of the Lexus W100 Shrewsbury.
They now look forward to playing in today’s second qualifying round as they attempt to secure a place in the main draw of the biggest women’s tennis tournament, outside of the grass court season, to be played in the UK this year.
Appleton, the British number 10, took just 42 minutes to book her place in the next round at The Shrewsbury Club as she got the better of Valeriia Olianovskaia from Poland 6-1, 6-1.
"It was a really good match for me, pretty clinical,” said Appleton. "I just tried to focus on myself, do the right things, and happy that I played a good match.”
Reflecting on 2024, Appleton, from Surrey, added: “It’s been a good year. Obviously, highlights over the grass season. I love playing at home, so it’s really great to be back in Shrewsbury and playing in front of a home crowd. I always like this tournament - it’s a great event.”
Gillan advanced with an impressive 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Marina Melnikova, seeded three in the qualifiers.
Melnikova, 347 in the world rankings having been as high as 170, took the first set on a tiebreak, but Gillan, currently ranked a career-high 619, hit back in style.
Gillan, from Kent, said: “It was good. I was a bit slow getting started, but she played well. I felt like I was serving well. I don’t think anyone broke until the second set, so, yes it was good. I’m pleased with today.”
Happy to be back playing on the indoor courts at The Shrewsbury Club, Gillan added: "I made second round qualifying last year, so hopefully I can do a bit better this year.
“The club’s lovely. Everyone comes out to support which is really nice. It’s a really well-run tournament with lots laid on for the players.”
Oluwadare, 16, produced a fine performance to beat Lian Tran - seeded 12 in the qualifiers and currently ranked nearly 800 places higher - 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.
Wilson also delivered an excellent display as she knocked out a seeded qualifier and a player ranked almost 750 places higher in overcoming Stephanie Wagner 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Stoiber, who reached the semi-finals of the girls’ singles at the Junior Australian Open last year, progressed with a 7-6, 6-1 victory over fellow Brit Holly Hutchinson.
Grey advanced with a 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Michelle Dzjachangirova, who represents Azerbaijan and knows The Shrewsbury Club’s courts well having trained regularly at the venue for a number of years.
Williamson is also through following a 6-3, 7-6 success against Kianah Motosono.
Of the other British players in action, Freya Christie, a singles finalist in Shrewsbury in 2015 and doubles champion two years later, lost in three sets against Mexican player Maria Jose Portillo Ramirez.
Victoria Allen, Katherine Barnes, Eliz Maloney, Ciara Moore and Erin Pearce also lost on the opening day.
Today’s second qualifying round matches start at 10am, with admission for spectators to watch the matches from court-side stands £7.50, which includes a 40-page tournament programme.
The main draw matches start Tuesday.
