Basildon tennis ace Helen Crook has revealed how a heart scare almost thwarted her surge into the National Championships quarter-finals.

Crook, 30, was today taking on top seed Julie Pullin at Bolton after squeaking past Holly Bagshaw 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4).

But the sixth seed revealed that doctors told her she could have had a stroke if she had not gone to hospital with an irregular heartbeat only last week.

She admitted: "I was given the all-clear by a specialist on Friday, but I didn't expect to be here at all."

Published Thursday October 24, 2002

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