The young Elena clutches to her father's shoulders in a family photograph

In the latest of her series of diary pieces leading up to Wimbledon 2010, British tennis star Elena Baltacha has much to celebrate.

I won the Aegon Pro Series in Shrewsbury on Saturday after a very tough final against Katie O'Brien.

On reaching the final I broke into the top 100 in the world rankings, which has been a target of mine for some time and should mean I've made the cut for the main draw at the Australian Open.

Now it's all about staying there and working hard to improve my ranking further, which I believe I can do, although I don't want to rush ahead of myself.

Katie played really well. I have to give it to her, she stuck to her guns.

I haven't played her in a long, long time and she's really, really improved. She fights and fights and fights.

Quite a few people turned up and they supported us equally in the match. That was really nice and great for the tournament.

It's great for British tennis that we've had two Brits in the final of an event this strong when the top four seeds were all inside the top 100. Between us we knocked out three of them and showed what the British girls are capable of.

I started the third set really well and that turned out to be the key but I started cramping and at 3-1 in the third set I got the physio to massage my legs and that helped a lot. I was trying not to think about my legs but it was difficult.

I won a $75k in Belgium last year, so I've won this level of event before but to win one on home soil is fantastic. These are not piddly tournaments, they are very strong.

I turned up in Shrewsbury thinking first things first, I have to defend my first round points and I've ended up doing way, way more than I expected. I feel like I've improved so much that now I know what I'm capable of and I know I can be a real danger.

This week is a big reward and a big thank you for all the people who have helped and supported me. People like Nino Severino, Nigel Sears and Simon Walsh.

I'll be back in Glasgow soon for my brother's wedding, when I will be a bridesmaid.

I mentioned in an earlier diary piece that Sergei had opened a convenience store in Shawlands with his best friend, Peter.

I popped in to see them last time I was up and, like I predicted, they put me to work straight away.

They had me on the till and I was a bit nervous because I didn't really know what I was doing but it was so lovely to see Sergei and spend some time with him for the first time in about a year.

He's doing great and I'm really proud of him.

My mum has been helping out in the shop, as has his wife to be, so it's a real family affair.

Speaking to my mum after breaking into the top 100, she said she was very proud of me but was quick to point out that this is just the start and that I have to keep working hard to improve.

Elena Baltacha was speaking to BBC Scotland's Liam McLeod

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