O'Brien: Brum agony

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Katie O'Brien fought to hold back the tears after losing 5-7 6-1 5-7 to Russian qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova in the second round of the DFS Classic in Birmingham.

The British number two had high hopes of joining Surrey's Mel South in the last 16 of the Wimbledon warm-up event and she had her chances before losing the gruelling centre court battle in an absorbing two-hour duel.

The 22-year-old from Hull called for on-court coaching on two occasions as she felt the match slipping away from her, although there was little to choose between the two players.

Shvedova, 20, required a medical time-out in the first set as she struggled with a back complaint however the qualifier still managed to power down 12 aces.

Having lost the first set, O'Brien dominated the second, breezing into a 5-0 lead, but she was always behind in the deciding set.

Shvedova led 5-2 before being broken as she served for the match but O'Brien dropped her serve for a fourth time in the all-important 12th game.

Cavaday woe

South was left to fly the flag for Britain when Kent teenager Naomi Cavaday also lost 4-6 6-3 6-1 to another qualifier, India's world number 160 Sunitha Rao.

The 19-year-old left-hander, who has received a wild card for Wimbledon, faded badly after taking the opening set.

There was also a defeat for sixth seed Sania Mirza, who went down 6-3 6-0 to Marina Erakovic, of New Zealand.