Tennis: Smith breaks into top 100

Sam Smith has become the first British woman to reach the world's top 100 for three years in the latest list issued by the Women's Tennis Association.

The 25-year-old from Essex, who has been Britain's No 1 for the past 11 months, has gone from 100 to a career-high 97 and, though this is far below the exploits of Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman, it is a further boost for the domestic game.

The last British woman to be ranked in the top 100 was Brighton's Clare Wood on September 26, 1994. Smith originally gained a career-high ranking of 103 in September 1991 while still only 19, but then gave up the game to go to university and did not return to the circuit until October 1995.

At the US Open two weeks ago that Smith took a big step up the rankings by winning three matches in qualifying and one in the main draw.