Born: 27/4/72 Nationality: Italian Seeded: 27 World ranking: 30 Wimbledon best: 3rd round (2001 & 2002) Recent record: 2002: 3rd round 2001: 3rd round 2000: 1st round

Consistency has always been the key to Silvia Farina Elia's place among world's elite, but injury and loss of form have seen her slip down the rankings this year.

Seeded 13th, she lost to Nicole Pratt in the second round of the Australian Open.

And in March she was forced to retire in the first round in Miami with heat exhaustion.

Injuries to her back and right leg prevented her competing for much of April, before losing three straight matches on her return.

Born and raised in Italy, it comes as no surprise she prefers to play on clay.

Her only three career titles have all come on that surface in Strasbourg, where she defended her title for the second consecutive time in May.

On the grass courts of Wimbledon, her record is less impressive, having yet to make it past the third round in 11 previous attempts.