Tennis

This is based on a world ranking of 630 and achieved through collecting points by winning two rounds of matches in each of the challenger type events in Tallahassee and Boca Raton.

The Teessider boosted her confidence, and points tally, by knocking out British number nine Joanne Moore, of Warwickshire by 6-2 6-3 in the second round of qualifying for the first named tournament. That player has been USA based for several years now and a more experienced circuit player with a world ranking some 200 places higher.

Miss Borwell had beaten an American, Jennifer Embury, in round one by 6-4 6-2. but was prevented from making the high standard main draw by Lancashire's Jane O'Donoghue, who made her Wimbledon debut last year. The teenager won by 7-5 6-1 as the third seed and is currently the British number five.

In the second tournament. Sarah progressed through the first two rounds for the loss of three games only, over two Americans Courtney Ulery and Melissa Saiontz, but was then stopped by a highly rated Russian junior Irina Kotkina by 6-7 7-6 7-5.

There is a long way to go for Miss Borwell to overtake the next nearest in the national rankings, but she has made rapid strides in her first year as a tournament professional. She has just embarked on a five week tour in Australia, hoping the Victoria State circuit and will not only furnish further experience but also victories and points.

Brown Shipley North East Premier League

ISunderland, winners of the North Division in the league, take on Queens Halifax tomorrow in a quarterfinal match of the inter-division playoff. They are expected to progress at the expense of the fourth placed side in the South Division, having notched up 23 rubbers out of 28 and lost once only in the recently completed league fixtures.

The opponents can call upon British number 26 Andrew Banks if available, and his Yorkshire county colleagues Richard Crabtree and Ben Gudzelak; but Invicta have a selection of Durham and Cleveland players, namely Adam Barratclough, Ainsley Kershaw, and Graeme Foreman as regulars.

Tennis World Middlesbrough, who just pipped David Lloyd Stockton for second place. also have a home match, against Sheffield. This team were favourites to win the southern section, but lost twice and finished third. though they do have British number 12 David Sherwood in the line-up.

The Teessiders' spokesman said: "We beat them in last year's regional final, and are hoping for a repeat performance." Their side is Nigel Beavers, Sean Damer, Andrew Deeley, and Mark Franklin.

David Lloyd Stockton have a 50-50 chance away against Carnegie Leeds. But the manager Matt Whitaker is quietly confident: "We'll do quite well. We have a strong first pair. and if the seconds can pick up some scraps we could manage."

Teessider Ben O'Connor and Yorkshirerman Jason Torpey have been a firm foundation for success and are expected to do the same tomorrow at the South Leeds venue. Whitaker will have John Weeks, another local man, as partner.

The Academy Harrogate team has struggled to reach the general standard of recent seasons and will find it tough at David Lloyd Leeds, the southern champions. But they have a tough first partnership in Doug Keen and David Drake.

Ben Riby from Scarborough is top player for David Lloyd but Matthew McTurk is missing through injury.

Inter-division play-off

Quarter-finals weekend February 8-9: Invicta Sunderland v Queens Halifax; Tennis World Mboro v Sheffield; Carnegie Leeds v David Lloyd Stockton; David Lloyd Leeds v Academy Harrogate.

Semi-finals, Saturday, February 22: at Invicta Sunderland.

Final, Saturday, March 8: at Ripon.

North East Club Winter League

Shotley and Benfieldside from Consett am on the honours trail yet again, having reached the final in the top eight playoff for the third year in succession. As runners-up last year. their chances of going one better this time were vastly improved when the holders Jesmond were knocked out in the quarter-finals by their neighbours the NLTSRC.

But Shotley had a fright in the quarters, just beating Morpeth away by three games with sets tied at four-all. They disposed of the NLTSRC though by 8-0 and await to see whether they will meet Durham Moor or New Blackwell in the final, Durham Moor had a 6-2 win against Durham High School, whilst the Darlington club progressed by the same score away at Great Ayton. the last North Yorkshire club left in the principal competition. This contest saw the first half of play end at 2-2 and seventeen games all, with Ayton taking the men's doubles and Blackwell the women's; but the Darlington club swept through the mixed to reach the last four. Durham Moor took three of the opening half sets against Durham High School, and repeated the process in the second half, though the overall games difference at the end was only 14.

Thirsk are one of two sides through to the semifinals in the second eight play-off, the other being Stocksfield 1. Their respective victims had been Bedale by 5-3. and Jesmond II by two games. The all Yorkshire contest had seen the first half end 2-2, but Thirsk stormed through the mixed for the loss of four games only to quickly settle the issue. The other two semifinalists are not yet known.

Cramlington Bath Terrace have scraped through to the final of the third eight, by three games over Ponteland in their semifinal. The Sunderland Racquets play either Nunthorpe or Wellfield in the other semi-final.

Bishop Auckland have battled well to make the last two in the fourth eight section. They knocked out Eldon Grove by 6-2, with Lorraine Colwell unbeaten on the day, and then Great Broughton and Kirby by 5-3. Cliff Mulholland was best performer in that. Their final opponents are either Gosforth I or Blyth Ridley. Paul Taylor. Kathy Dixon, and Heather Clegg have also performed well for Bishop.

Results - Quarter-finals

Second eight: Stocksfield I beat Jesmond II, Thirsk 5, Bedale 3.

Third eight: Cramlington BT bt Tynedale, Ponteland wo Stocksfield ll, Sunderland H&R.C wo Durham Archery II.

Fourth eight: Rothbury 0, Blyth Ridley 8, Eldon Grove 2, Bishop Auckland 6, Gosforth 7, Blaydon III 4.

Fifth eight: Gosforth II 4 (41) Blaydon III 4 (39); Jesmond II lost to Lanchester.

Semi-finals

Third eight: Ponteland lost to Cramlington.

Fourth eight: Bishop Auckland 5, Great Broughton 3.

Fifth eight: Lanchester 0, Gosforth II 8.