Tennis ambition: To become a top 10 professional tennis player
To play at Wimbledon in the Senior Main Draw

Academic successes

As Levels

    Psychology - A
    PE - A
    General Studies - C

7 GCSEs - 5 As (1 A*) 2 Bs
Studying A level PE and Psychology

Other sports: Represented her school at tennis and cross country
Achieved Gold Medal for swimming 1500 meters

Other interests: Listening to music, reading, shopping and walking the dog.

Coach: Lucie Ahl

An interview with Mel...

How would I like to be described?
A motivated player who tries very hard 100% all the time.

Favourite saying: ‘If it is to be, it is up to me’

Question/Answer session

How old were you when you played your first tournament?
It was a short tennis tournament and I was just 6.

What was the first title you won?
Surrey 8u Short Tennis Champion.

How old were you when you first represented Great Britain?
That was when I travelled to France at 10.

How many tournaments have you won?
It must be over 100 now from 8u to 18u International Tournaments.

1998 12u Nationals - Semi finalist at Bisham Abbey

1999 14u Nationals - lost to the eventual champion (no other player bettered Melanie’s score).

2000 15u Nationals - reached third round and lost to the eventual champion
15u doubles - reached semi finals.
18u Nationals - youngest player to win through 3 qualifying rounds and then won her first round match in the Main Draw.

The Sunday Telegraph/David Lloyd Grand Prix in Boca Raton, Florida - WINNER
(this was while her father was very ill in intensive care!!)

Played in a number of Girobank tour events and reached the quarter final in one of them.
Played her first ITF $10.000 qualifying tournament - only lost in three sets to highly rated Sara Gregg who was ranked in the 800’s in the world.

2001

Represented Great Britain in Munich, Slovenia, Belgium, Holland
Slovenia - Finalist in a singles ETA tournament Finalist in two doubles

Represented Great Britain at the Youth Olympics as a member of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Youth Team (there was only one boy and one girl in the Tennis Team) in Murcia, Spain

15u Great Britain National Championships in Bournemouth - Finalist

Played 18u Nationals in Nottingham

Played Senior Nationals in Bolton

Played $25,000 tournament in Bolton

Represented Wimbledon Club Ladies First Team in the National Club League and the Surrey League
Member of the Surrey County Cup 18u Team which won the Championship
Selected to represent Surrey in the Top Division of the Senior Winter County Cup
Selected to represent Great Britain v Sweden November 2001 in Leeds
Qualified at 16u Grand Prix in High Wycombe - November 2001
Qualified at 18u Grand Prix
Semi Finalist of the BWTA Ladies Christmas Tournament

2002

Targets for 2002 - Obtain and then increase Junior World Ranking - target achieved
Obtain a Senior World Ranking - target achieved in August 2002 going in at 1016

Competed in the pre qualifying rounds for Wimbledon and qualified making her the youngest player in the tournament this year. Melanie took her GCSE at 9am and went out in the afternoon to play her qualifying match v Adreana Barna of Germany only losing 4-6, 4-6.

Competed in Junior Wimbledon in both singles and doubles. Tough draws here and she lost to the No 12 seed in the singles and No 1 seeds in the doubles but gained masses of experience which she will take forward to 2003

Member of the 18u Great Britain Team in the Summer Cup at Hatfield.

18u National Championships at Nottingham singles - Finalist
18u National Championships at Nottingham doubles - Semi Finalist

$10,000 tournament in Bath - reached last 16

Represented Great Britain in the 16u Winter Cup in Lille, France.

Played $10,000 tournament in Croatia.

18u junior ITF tournament in Edinborough - ¼ Finalist
18u Junior ITF tournament in Edinborough doubles - Winner

Represented England in the Four Nations Tournament in Ireland

Represented the Wimbledon Club who reached the finals of the National Club League Tournament held in Bournmouth.

Maureen Connolly Trophy - represented Great Britain v United States. Melanie is the youngest player to represent Great Britain in this tournament since Sue Barker. In front of a crowd of over 200, Melanie won her match v Riza Zalameda in three sets.

Ariel Grand Prix - Winner beating Rebecca Llewelly in the final

British Tour - Nottingham

Tournaments to be added from here

Is entered for 4 $25,000 tournaments and 1 $10,000 tournament in September and October.

Entered for the Senior Nationals Tournament in Bolton in October.

Trained in La Manga Spain with Alan Jones and Jo Durie

BWTA Christmas British Tour

2003

Targets for 2003 - increase both Junior and Senior World Rankings

January SWEDEN: 17th SALK ITF - Winner
SWEDEN: VASTERAS INTERNATIONAL - Doubles Finalist