Anne Keothavong will have to go it alone this weekend as the only Brit left in the singles at the LTA Ladies $25,000 event at the David Lloyd centre in Southampton.

But having defeating British number two Julie Pullin in the second round earlier this week, nineteen-year-old Keothavong has a serious chance of reaching only her second final at this level.

Currently ranked 232 in the world, Keothavong takes on the girl from Belarus Olga Barabanschikova in Saturday's semi-final after defeating Yugoslav Dragana Zaric 6-2,6-3.

But after leaping up the rankings this year, the talented Britain will be gunning for victory as she looks to break into the world's top 200.

Hopes of an all-British semi-final with Elena Baltacha were dashed when the British number one withdrew early on Friday with injury.

This will come as a blow to Baltacha after a courageous victory on Thursday against Raluca Sandu which she won in the third set tie-break 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(9).

After many of top seeds crashed out early on, Baltacha had looked hot favourite to take her second $25,000 title.

But with Baltacha out of the running, the picture opens for Keothavong, who will now fancy her chances of winning on home soil.

While there will only be one winner, the successes of the week have not been solely reduced to the top players.

With Monday and Tuesday's qualifying offering a further four places into the main draw, it was 16-year-old Katie O'Brien who took centre stage.

Ranked 981, O'Brien arrived at the tournament on a wild card but stunned her opponents by easing through the first two days in qualifying, knocking out number two qualifying seed Lana Popadic in the process.

But making the main draw was not enough for the Hull-based starlet as she maintained her astonishing run by making it through to the final 16.

Admittedly, her opponent Petra Russegger ranked more than 700 places higher, withdrew with injury in the second set, but not before O'Brien had proved any doubters wrong by winning the first set 6-2.

Her success was as much of a shock to O'Brien as anyone else as she explained: "I didn't expect to get this far, I just came here really for the experience" she said. "I only took Monday and Tuesday off school, but it seems like I will be missing the whole week now."

While O'Brien was knocked out in the next round by number seven seed Sybille Brammer, the tournament will provide undoubted experience for O'Brien and the 24 other British entrants as they strive to become the 'Tim Henman' of the women's game.

Keothavong will hope to continue up the stairway to success as she takes on Barabanschikova in Saturday's semi-finals with Brammer and Sofia Arvidsson fighting it out for the second place in Sunday's final. Action on both days starts at 11am at David Lloyd and is free to spectators.