FRENCH OPEN
Venue: Roland Garros Date: 24 May - 7 June
Coverage: Live on BBC Red Button, live streaming and daily text commentary on BBC Sport website, updates on BBC Radio 5 Live plus second week commentary on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra. TV coverage on Eurosport.
 O'Brien must win one more match to reach the French Open main draw |
Britons Katie O'Brien and Elena Baltacha are each one win away from qualifying for the French Open main draw after victories on Thursday. O'Brien, the British number two, followed her three-set opening win over France's Karla Mraz with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 defeat of Rika Fujiwara of Japan. And British number four Baltacha, 25, defeated Stephanie Vongsouthi of France 6-1 7-5. Baltacha beat Anna Gerasimou of Greece 6-2 6-0 in the first round. O'Brien, 23, will next face Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus, while Baltacha goes on to play top seed Yaroslava Shvedova of Ukraine. "I remember in the past the when I played qualies, the fact that it was a Grand Slam made it quite daunting and I've always been a little bit nervous in the past," said O'Brien.  | 606: DEBATE |
"But after I qualified for Australia this year, it's given me a lot of confidence and I come into this believing that I can qualify. "I think it's probably even harder to qualify at the French, though, because it's on clay and you have to win three tough matches." O'Brien and Baltacha are seeking to make it four British women in the main draw after Anne Keothavong and Mel South secured direct entry into the tournament, the first time two British women have done so since 1992. Britain's two representatives in qualifying for the men's event are both out. Alex Bogdanovic lost 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 to India's Somdev Dewarman in the second round, and Josh Goodall went out in the first round to American Amer Delic. That means world number three Andy Murray will be Britain's sole representative in the men's event.
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