Woodroffe sets up Capriati tie

Capriati went out in the first round of the French Open

Britain's Lorna Woodroffe fought off an injury scare and went on to set up a second-round meeting with US start Jennifer Capriati in the DFS Women's Tennis Classic at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

The 23-year-old British number six beat experienced Australian Rachel McQuillan 7-5 5-7 6-3 in a tight match despite pulling a hamstring shortly after the start and losing her first-set lead.

After her win, she said: "The hamstring is OK now. Once I'd had a bit of treatment it got better.

"I lost the second set then but I was determined to battle on and got a lucky break to win it in the third."

From 5-2 up in the first, Woodroffe dropped her service twice in a row, clearly hampered by the leg injury, but recovered well to go a set up with a flashing forehand volley.

Then, when she was serving to save the second set, a helicopter landed just 50 yards away in a nearby field, distracting her, and McQuillan promptly levelled the match but all ended well for the British girl as Woodroffe snatched a vital break at 4-3 in the decider and served out for victory.

Her victory sets up a tie with world number 19 Capriati.

Woodroffe said: "It is a big match for me and I'm looking forward to it now but I honestly didn't know beforehand that a win would put me up against Capriati, but I was told she was here watching me."

Woodroffe, from Epsom, Surrey, kept the British flag flying and boosted her hopes of receiving more wild cards for the big Eastbourne event next week and Wimbledon a week later but her compatriots Lucie Ahl and Julie Pullin both went out.

Another British qualifier Karen Cross meets Jelena Kostanic on Tuesday while Louise Latimer, the domestic number one, faces Dutch girl Seda Noorlander.

The two French stars Tauziat and Julie Halard-Decugis, who are top seeds at Birmingham and met in the final of the DFS Classic last year, are both also in action on Tuesday after receiving first round byes along with fast-rising compatriot Nathalie Dechy.

First round results:

L Woodroffe (Gbr) bt R McQuillan (Aus) 7-5 5-7 6-3

(13) N Pratt (Aus) bt A Cocheteux (Fra) 6-2 6-4

L Osterloh (USA) bt (15) M Lucic (Cro) 7-6 (7-1) 6-0

(9) A Kremer (Lux) bt L Ahl (GB) 6-3 7-6 (7-1)

M Vento (Ven) bt H Parkinson (USA) 1-6 6-1 6-4

Second round results

(12) M Serna (Spa) bt J Pullin (Gbr) 6-3 4-6 6-4

E Dominikovic (Aus) bt K Po (4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4)

(14) A Myskina (Rus) bt E Callens (Belg) 6-4 7-6 (7-5)

C Black (Zim) bt (11) T Panova (Rus) 6-1 6-4

M Oremans (Ned) bt L Courtois (Bel) 6-4 7-6 (7-1)