Helen Crook will have to limit her Wimbledon appearances to the ladies' doubles next week after failing to qualify in the singles.

The Basildon player crashed in a three-set second round affair at Roehampton yesterday afternoon in the qualifying matches for the Grand Slam tournament.

Helen Crook - ready for Wimbledon Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

Crook won her first set 6-2 against 29-year-old Romanian Andreea Vanc at the south London venue.

But Vanc -- who beat Yugoslavian Jelena Janlovic 6-1 3-6 6-4 in the first round -- won the deciding sets 6-2 6-2.

That meant Crook failed to beat her Wimbledon singles duck after beating Ireland's Kelly Liggins 6-1 6-4 on the opening day of qualifying on Tuesday.

But Crook will be back at SW19 for her seventh appearance in the ladies' doubles when she teams up with Anna Hawkins.

Crook will be hoping to get past the first round for the first time in a Wimbledon career that started in 1996.

She automatically qualified for the doubles due to her British number two doubles ranking.

But it will mean a change of partner as Crook teams up with Hawkins, who made the first round last year, instead of her old ally Victoria Davies.

Published Thursday, June 19, 2003

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