Loughborough College tennis player Freya Christie has continued to build on her success with a Women’s Tennis Association debut at the Nottingham Open – following her selection for the Judy Murray-captained Fed Cup team earlier this year.
In her first year out of the Juniors Freya was given a wildcard straight into the main draw to face Saisai Zheng, ranked 86 in the world.
“Freya is ranked 314 – which is a major achievement, to have broken 500 at 18 years old.
“But then she more than held her own against Zheng,” said Thomas Evans, Tutor and MyTennis Programme Leader at Loughborough College, where the 18 year is studying for her Sport BTEC.
“She ultimately lost 6-4, 6-2 but the match was far closer than the scoreline suggests.
“Freya had opportunities to break Zheng’s serve and on another day, the result may well have been different. She is definitely one to watch.”
Freya made her first Grand Slam appearance – her Wimbledon debut – three years ago and travelled to Israel with Judy Murray’s Aegeon GB Fed Cup team earlier this year in their bid to win promotion from Euro/Africa Zone Group 1.
The team had been set to include British number one Johanna Konta but news emerged that Konta, who at the Australian Open became the first British female to make it to the semi finals of a grand slam since 1983, would not be joining them in Eilat due to recurring injury problems.