THORNBURY’S Emily Webley-Smith produced a battling performance before losing 8-6 in the final set to Klara Zakopalova in the first round at Wimbledon last night.

The 26-year-old fought back after losing the first set 6-3 on Court 14 to take the second set 7-5 and recovered from a break down in the decider before eventually being beaten by her Czech opponent, ranked 209 places above her.

Webley-Smith lost her serve twice during the first set, but responded magnificently.

She played a superb lob to level the second set at 5-5, before breaking Zakopalova’s serve and then holding on to level the match up.

Webley-Smith used chip and charge tactics effectively in the third set and came back from 4-2 down to send the match to its dramatic finale.

She saved two match points but she eventually went down 8-6 – the same score by which she lost the deciding set in her last singles match at Wimbledon to Amy Frazier in the second round seven years ago.

"Right now I just feel so disappointed, though I'm sure at some stage I'll be able to look back and see the positives," said Webley-Smith.

Read more on this story in Thursday's Gazette newspaper.