Curran heading in right direction

Claire Curran is set to become the first British woman to break into the top 100 since the turn of the Millennium following her success at the Canberra International.

The 27-year-old will progress into the top 100 of the women’s doubles regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s final in Australia which Curran, will contest alongside Latvia’s Liga Dehmeijere.

The pair will face third seeds Marta Domachowska and Roberta Vinci, who had a gruelling semi-final victory in three sets – in contrast to their own straightforward triumph.

It means the Belfast player will become the first British woman since Sam Smith in the late 1990s to break into the top 100 – albeit, in contrast to Smith, not in the singles.

However, it represents a notable achievement by Curran, whose career was severely threatened by the same hip injury suffered by Celtic footballer Roy Keane.

Curran was sidelined for a year from 2001 but following surgery she returned to focus on the doubles and has made great strides over the last 12 months, reaching her first WTA tour semi-final at the Istanbul Cup and winning her first ITF event in France.