From the LTA website:

"Following Anne Keothavong’s impressive $50k title on clay in Lebanon at the weekend, the British No 1 has risen up the world rankings from No 126 to a career high No 104. This timely jump has earned the 24 year-old direct acceptance into the ladies’ singles main draw at The Championships, Wimbledon – the first British female to achieve this feat since Sam Smith in 1999.

Keothavong’s title came in tricky circumstances when fighting broke out nearby in Lebanon as the tournament was drawing to a close. However, the National Tennis Centre based right-hander held her nerve at the crucial time to see off the Spanish No 1 seed, Lourdes Dominguez-Lino, 6-4 6-1 in the final.

On route, Keothavong also defeated Ukrainian Anastasiya Vasylyeva 6-1 6-3, Slovakians Lenka Wienerova 7-6(4) 7-5 and Kristina Kucova 4-6 7-6(5) 7-5, and Spaniard Marta Marrero 6-3 6-1.

Speaking after the final, Keothavong said: “This week has been a great week for me and I’ve proved to myself that I am capable of playing well on clay. I arrived in Lebanon last weekend feeling pretty relaxed thanks to the advice of Jane O’Donoghue and Karen Paterson at Claire Curran’s wedding which will remain a secret but clearly worked.

Keothavong continued: “My quarter-final was by far the toughest match as I thought I was going to withdraw from the tournament because of all the problems in Lebanon. I was ready to get on a bus to Syria but five minutes before I was due on court they told us that the border was closed and there was no way out. I went on court with no preparation and managed to get through the match in three and a half hours.”

Carl Maes, LTA Head of Women’s Tennis, added: “The timing of this win for gaining direct acceptance into Wimbledon couldn’t be better. Anne has worked long and hard to get to this stage. This victory is also a real team effort and is a great example of how the inter-disciplinary approach is working.

Maes continued: “It provides great publicity for women’s tennis and shows how far Anne and the other British women have come in the last 18 months. We now have five players inside the world’s top 200 who are all capable of winning matches at Wimbledon. They are pushing each other for a spot in the top 100 and I believe it is no longer a matter of if but when.”

Keothavong will return to the National Tennis Centre this week to complete her clay court preparations before traveling to Paris for the French Open qualifying."

Well done Anne - up to 82 in the rankings :)

:clap:

She's planning on playing qualies for the US Hardcourt events this summer, rather than playing it safe and sticking to the challenger circuit - good on her!

She is playing qualies in Stanford next week - good luck to her!