Alicia Dudeney spearheaded a dominant showing by British players on day three of the Lexus Wrexham Open, with three home competitors advancing to Friday's quarter-finals at Wrexham Tennis and Padel Centre. According to BBC Sport, Dudeney's victory in a gruelling second-round encounter marked the highlight of a successful day for the host nation's representatives in the World Tennis Tour W100 event.
Dudeney extended her current winning streak to seven consecutive matches by defeating seventh seed Susan Bandecchi of Switzerland 6-3 6-7 6-4 in a contest that consumed two hours and 51 minutes of intense play. The in-form British player will meet French opponent Elsa Jacquemot in the last eight, with the Leader reporting that Jacquemot secured her quarter-final spot by defeating Viktoria Morvayova 7-6, 7-6. Dudeney reflected on her performance, stating that
I think I played really well todayand characterised Bandecchi as a formidable opponent who
fights unbelievably hard.
Hannah Klugman, the 17-year-old British prospect, delivered another commanding display to overcome higher-ranked Czech player Anna Siskova 6-2 6-4. Klugman, who reached the French Open junior girls' final the previous year and currently holds a ranking of 341, will advance to face sixth seed Rebecca Sramkova from Slovakia in the quarter-finals.
Jodie Burrage completed the British trio's progression by dispatching fourth seed Noma Noha Akugue 6-1 7-6, with Burrage claiming the second set tie-break 11-9. Burrage will next encounter Marina Bassols Ribera, the fifth seed, after the Spanish player's victory over Australian Lizette Cabrera.
What happened to the top seed?
A significant upset unfolded elsewhere in the draw as top seed Anna Blinkova, the French player ranked 72 in the world, exited at the second-round stage following a 6-3 6-2 defeat to Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands. This result marked a dramatic reversal from Blinkova's earlier performance in the tournament, when she had mounted a comeback victory in her opening match.
Why are British players so prominent this year?
The strong showing by the British contingent has energised home supporters following the decision by reigning champion Mimi Xu from Swansea to forgo defending her title. According to the LTA, the Wrexham Open represents the largest women's tennis event staged in the United Kingdom outside the grass-court season, and Xu instead opted to compete at the W75 Saguenay tournament in Canada. The LTA's records indicate that Xu won the 2025 singles championship by defeating Mika Stojsavljevic 6-3, 7-5 in the final.
What happens next?
The quarter-finals are scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, 23 October, at Wrexham Tennis and Padel Centre, with the semi-finals following on Saturday, 24 October, and the singles final taking place on Sunday, 25 October. The doubles semi-finals will also occur on Friday alongside the singles quarter-finals.
Key Facts:
- Dudeney extended her winning run to seven matches with a 6-3 6-7 6-4 victory over seventh seed Bandecchi in a match lasting 2 hours 51 minutes
- Klugman, ranked 341 and aged 17, defeated higher-ranked Czech player Siskova 6-2 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals
- Burrage beat fourth seed Akugue 6-1 7-6, winning the second set tie-break 11-9
- Top seed Blinkova fell to an upset 6-3 6-2 defeat against Lamens of the Netherlands
- The Wrexham Open runs from 18-25 October and is the UK's largest women's tennis event outside the grass-court season
