Brits through in Nottingham

Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong both made it through to the quarter-finals of the Aegon Championships in Nottingham.

Baltacha, Keothavong join Ward in last eight

Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong both made it through to the quarter-finals of the Aegon Championships in Nottingham. Baltacha, currently ranked 62nd in the world, defeated Anna Fitzpatrick 6-2 6-2 while British number three Keothavong saw off number eight Naomi Broady by the same scoreline. "I don't expect too much of myself this week but I'm pleased to be in the quarter-finals," said Keothavong. "My intensity was a bit better than yesterday's and I had to be on my toes." British number two Katie O'Brien failed to join them in the quarters as she fell in straight sets to American Carly Gullickson. In the men's draw James Ward pulled off a second successive shock win as he defeated American Taylor Dent 7-5 0-6 7-6. "I've never played a match quite like that," the 20-year-old Ward, who plays unseeded Andre Begemann from Germany next, told the LTA website. "I thought I played well throughout the match but I had a bit of a blip in the second set but I'm glad to get through it. "I had quite a few match points in the tie break but I just kept believing in myself and thinking positive thoughts." Alex Bogdanovic saw his tournament come to an end as the British number two was dispatched 6-4 1-6 6-4 by Japan's Go Soeda, while James Ward was knocked out by Ryan Harrison 6-3 6-3.