THE top seeds in both the men’s and ladies’ Caversham International tennis tournaments at Les Ormes pulled out of the competition yesterday.

In the ladies’ $25,000 event, the No 1, Maret Ani, world ranked 123, retired in the second set due to a medical condition which allowed British wildcard entry, Jocelyn Rae, who had won the first set 6-3, to progress.

In the men’s $10,000 competition, the top seed, Thomas Oger was advised by the medical team not to play due to a back problem. Frederik Nielsen , a winner at the Caversham $15,000 event in October, was also forced to retire in his match yesterday with a muscular problem.

In the ladies’ competition, including Rae, there are five British players remaining.

There was a big win for qualifier Amanda Elliott, ranked 495, as she put out the No 6 seed, Irena Pavlovic, ranked 236, in three sets 1-6, 6-1, 6-4. Elliott will today play Iveta Gerlova, ranked 479, for a place in the last eight.

Katie O’Brien, the No 2 seed, defeated Anna Smith 6-1 6-4 and will now play another British player, Katharina Brown, who defeated Russia’s Ksenia Lykina 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The No 3 seed, Elena Baltacha, ranked 164, had a smooth victory over French qualifier Constance Sibille, impressing as she won 6-3, 6-0 to set up a match against Poland’s Joanna Sakowicz (ranked 324).

The competition ended for British wildcard Jade Curtis, she lost 6-1, 6-1 to Lina Stanciute, with Stephanie Cornish and Jade Windley also going out in straight sets.

The No 8 seed Sarah Borwell, ranked 296, did have a tough match yesterday as she went out to Croatia’s Ana Vrljic, ranked 303, losing 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

In the men’s tournament the No 8 seed, Alexander Slabinsky won the battle of the Brits as he put out Matthew Illingworth 6-4, 7-6. Slabinsky, ranked 398, will be put to the test today by the No 2 seed, also a finalist at the October event, Poland’s Dawid Olejniczak, ranked 304.

Miles Kasiri, ranked 519, got the better of Denmark’s Rasmus Norby 6-1, 7-6 and this afternoon will play Australia’s Carsten Ball, ranked 359, who ended top junior player, Jerzy Janowicz’s run with a 6-2, 6-4 win.