Murray closes in on main draw at Aegon Manchester Trophy

Stockport’s Samantha Murray made short work of two qualifying matches to put herself within one match of a main draw spot at the Aegon Manchester Trophy.

The 29-year-old is currently ranked 544 but has been ranked as high as 165 in 2013 before enduring an injury enforced time-out from the sport.

• Naomi Broady heads Aegon Manchester Trophy entry list

Two matches for the loss of only six games signalled she is getting back to her best on home soil.

Following wins over fellow Brits Olivia French 6-1 6-1 and Louise Holtum 6-2 6-2, Murray said: “I’ve been training hard and training well and getting a little bit better each match I am playing.

“My body is feeling good and I am really pleased to be back, it has been such a long time out, I am really happy to be healthy again.”

Murray will face Australian Naiktha Bains on Monday for a place in the main draw that starts on Tuesday.

Other Brits through to the final round of qualifying to be played tomorrow are Emily Webley-Smith who defeated Olivia Nicholls 3-6 7-5 7-6, and Alicia Barnett who came through another all British encounter against Aleksandra Pitak 6-2 6-1.

Stockport’s Naomi Broady heads the entry list for the Aegon Manchester Trophy, which runs from June 11-18 at The Northern Lawn Tennis Club in Didsbury.

Fellow British players Harriet Dart, Katie Dunn, Katie Swann and Gabriella Taylor have been awarded main draw wildcards which starts on Tuesday, June 13.

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What is the Aegon Trophy Series?

The Aegon Trophy Series comprises men’s and women’s events around the country which offer players the opportunity to compete on grass in the lead up to the Championships, Wimbledon.

The Aegon Trophy Series now offers more prize-money at its events than any comparable circuit anywhere in the world.

Attracting some of the world’s most exciting players with $850k overall prize money, 2017 sees the Aegon Trophy Series increase to five grass tournaments across five different venues.

Prize money at Aegon Trophy Series events has been more doubled this year from $300,000 in 2016 to over $850,000 in 2017 – the highest in the world at this level.