JULIE PULLIN led the way on a great day for the Brits at the $50,000 Ladies Indoor Challenger Tournament at the Hampshire Tennis and Health Club, Southampton.

British number two Pullin, who will be 24 on November 5, came up with some fireworks as she beat a girl ranked 24 places above her in the world ratings.

Left-handed Pullin, from Cuckfield, Sussex, was always in control to win 6-4 6-4 against Belgian Patty Van Acker.

And there was another British win when Lucie Ahl, from Devon, stormed into the second round of the third most important women's tournament in Britain - after Wimbledon and Eastbourne - when she won a three-setter against France's Luarence Andretto.

The French girl, who won the $25,000 ladies event at Welwyn last week, took the second set but Ahl swept through the third 6-1.

There was also a good win for the British number four Karen Cross, who swept through her match against Moroccan Bahia Mouhtassine.

But young Hannah Collin from Surrey, who raised a few eyebrows when she beat Pullin at Welwyn last week, was handed too tough a task against the number one seed, Els Callens of Belgium.

The British teenager battled well but went down 6-3 6-3.

There was also defeat for British number 11 Helen Crook, who had done well to reach the first round proper having battled through three qualifying rounds.

Crook, a doubles expert who has only seriously taken to singles over the past couple of seasons, showed her power an volleying ability in the first set against Germany's Sandra Kloesel, ranked 250 places above her in the world, and briefly threatened an upset when she forced the first set to a tie break.

But she eventualy went down 7-6 6-3.

Another young British player who had caught the eye, failed in her bid to reach the first round. Anna Keothahvong from Essex was beaten in three sets by Indian Manisha Malhotra.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.