SEVEN Channel Islands players featured in qualifying for the Caversham International tennis tournaments at Les Ormes which started on Sunday.

In the men’s draw Jersey’s Charlie Cohen was knocked out in the first round, losing to Guernsey’s Patrick Ogier 6-2, 6-0. Four other players were given a bye into the second round but all fell at this hurdle – Ogier 6-1, 6-1 to Frenchman Pierre Metenier (world ranked 694).

Les Ormes coach, Jonathan Howell, suffered a 6-0, 6-3 defeat to Andrej Martin, ranked 1197, and James Faudemer lost 6-0, 6-0 to the No 12 seed, Saar Steele (ranked 1143).

Jordan Roberts lost 6-0, 6-1 to the eighth seed and finalist in the US Open junior event last year, Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz (ranked 936) while Sarnian, Chris Hickling, went out to the No 15 seed, Leander Van der Vaart, ranked 1233, 6-2, 6-2.

The men’s $10,000 event was hit with the loss of around 12 players, based in Europe, who were unable to make it to the Island due to adverse weather conditions.

However, a strong main draw is still ready to get under way today with the only players seeded for qualifying not to make it through, Estonia’s Mait Kunnap and Switzerland’s Patrick Eichenberger.

There are 11 British players still in the draw including fourth seed, Joshua Goodall (ranked 343), who today faces fellow Brit, Miles Kasiri, ranked 519. Wildcard entry Neil Bamford (GBR), ranked 828, takes on the top seed, Frenchman Thomas Oger, ranked 273.

In the ladies’ draw, Sarah Jones was the only CI representative and she was defeated 6-0, 6-0 by a tough opponent in Russia’s Ksenia Lykina, world ranked 780, who went on to knock out the third seed in qualifying, Karla Mraz, ranked 485.

The other seeded casualty was Slovakian Martina Babakova, ranked 510, who was beaten by Britain’s Jade Windley (ranked 1025) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

The final round of qualifying for the ladies takes place today with eight successful players progressing to the main draw for the $25,000 tournament which will get under way tomorrow.

Tournament organiser, Hugh Raymond, said: ‘All in all it has been a very successful start to the tournament. The atmosphere on the balcony yesterday, with so many nationalities involved, was something that shows how important the players think of the Jersey tournaments and with the ATP coming up, the interest in Jersey events is gathering pace.’