Former UK Pro League Weekly winners Josh Paris and Lauryn John-Baptiste are in contention ahead of today’s Week 9 semi-finals – with qualification for Finals Week still firmly up for grabs.
The premier league of British tennis, the innovative format is the only season-long domestic competition for the UK’s top professionals and brings them together for nine weeks of action to qualify for the UK Pro League Finals Week at the Shrewsbury Club in November.
With around half a million pounds of prize money up for grabs across the season, the action is broadcast live on BT Sport, The Tennis Channel and UKproleague.tv.
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Week 1 winner Paris has already secured his Finals Week spot, though is potentially closing in on another week triumph as he takes on Dan Little in tomorrow’s semi-final clash.
Paris is yet to drop a set having won all three of his pool matches convincingly, while Little prevailed in two of his three pool matches to reach his first Pro League Week semi-final.
The second men’s semi-final pits Week 5 runner-up Julian Cash against Ewan Moore, with Cash winning two of his three pool matches and Moore yet to taste defeat at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre.
Cash is ranked third in the League and has already secured qualification for Finals Week, but a second place finish or better in Week 9 would secure him top spot in the table and one of the four seeded positions for Finals Week.
For Ewan Moore it is all to play for. The 23-year-old needs to win Week 9 to overtake Charles Broom and grab the final automatic qualification spot, with no other result seeing him qualify.
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While the men have had three pool matches to contend with, the women at Bisham Abbey this week contested two pool matches before the quarter-finals and play-offs.
The women’s semi-final line-up sees Katie Stresnakova take on Holly Hutchinson and Emma Wilson face John-Baptiste.
Week 6 runner-up Stresnakova secured her Finals Week spot with her run to the last four, having double-bageled Amy Leather in yesterday’s quarter-final.
Stresnakova has dropped just four games across her three matches and takes on Hutchinson tomorrow, with Hutchinson also yet to taste defeat after a last eight victory over Nadia Rawson.
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Meanwhile, John-Baptiste and Wilson face off in a crunch last four clash with the former still fighting for a place in Finals Week.
John-Baptiste surged into contention after her Week 8 triumph but needs to claim victory in Week 9 and hope Danielle Daley finishes no higher than 6th to have a chance of qualification.
The Week 8 winner is yet to drop a set all week and beat Millie Bissett in the last eight to progress, while Wilson toppled Daley in straight sets in her quarter-final encounter.
Much like Stresnakova, Wilson has sealed her Finals Week spot following an unbeaten week so far.