[Women's Main Draw]
The graceful US champion, Latasha Khan, fell short tonight. England's Rebecca Botwright dashed six-times US champion Latasha Khan's hopes of a main draw place with a 9-4, 10-8, 8-10, 9-6 victory. "I had it in my hands," Latasha said, "I am so disappointed." Khan now will remain in New York to prepare for the upcoming US National championships at Yale.

Four Britons came through the qualifying finals to earn places in the first round of the women's event which gets underway at Grand Central Terminal today (Tuesday). 

Botwright meets Madeline Perry in the first round.  A win over the Irish champion could take the 24-year-old from Manchester through to her first ever WISPA World Tour meeting with older sister Vicky Botwright, the second seed who faces France's Isabelle Stoehr.

Women's qualifying finals:
Pamela Nimmo (SCO) bt Samantha Teran (MEX)                         9-2, 9-2, 9-0
Rebecca Botwright (ENG) bt Latasha Khan (USA)                      9-4, 10-8, 8-10, 9-6
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt Runa Reta (CAN)                   9-3, 9-2, 9-3
Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt Suzie Pierrepont (ENG)                         3-9, 9-6, 9-1, 5-9, 9-2

Updated Women's 1st round draw:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v [Q] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG)
[6] Tania Bailey (ENG) v Annelize Naude (NED)
[4] Linda Elriani (ENG) v [Q] Pamela Nimmo (SCO)
[5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Alison Waters (ENG)
[7] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG)
[3] Natalie Grainger (USA) v [Q] Fiona Geaves (ENG)
[8] Madeline Perry (IRL) v [Q] Rebecca Botwright (ENG)
[2] Vicky Botwright (ENG) v Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)

The WISPA players are ready to take the glass court tomorrow for the first round . photo © 2006 Debra Tessier. more photos