Currently ranked inside the top 200 in the world Katie O’Brien has had a rapid rise up the rankings in the past 12 months after a slow start to her career.

The former Hymers school pupil spent her first few years on the Challenger Tour (a step down from the WTA Tour) ranked between 500 and 700 in the world but followed that with a steady climb into the top 300.

Last year saw Katie produce her best form as she rocketed into the top 200 of the singles and doubles rankings.

The diminutive right hander enjoyed a purple patch in September 2006 when she reached the final of a $25,000 event in Madrid, before breaking her duck at that level by taking her first $25,000 title in Nottingham seven days later.

Earlier in the summer she reached the final of the Changsha $25,000 in China, progressed to the semi-finals of the $50,000 Japanese tournament in Fukuoka and added valuable ranking points by reaching the last four in Sunderland three months earlier.

A representative of the Great Britain Fed Cup team in 2005 and 2006, O’Brien is the daughter of former professional footballer, Phil, who played for Watford in the 1970s.

O’Brien has made three appearances at Wimbledon, losing in the first round each time to Maria Sanchez Lorenzo in 2004, Kim Clijsters a year later and Tathiana Garbin in 2006.