ACT's Annabel Ellwood is currently acting as a coach/team manager
rather than a player, having decided to halt her professional tennis
career after six years on the circuit. Ellwood, younger sister of men's
pro Ben, won nine ITF women's circuit singles titles and was a
semifinalist at the Japan Open in 1997 leading to a career-high world
ranking of 57. A former Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder,
she is in Asia for five weeks with an elite group of Aussie junior girls:
Darya Ivanov, TJ Welford, Adriana Szili, Casey Dellacqua (next week),
Olivia Lukaszewicz, Daniella Dominikovic and Dubravka Cupac. The squad is
competing in ITF junior tournaments in Jakarta, Malaysia, Thailand, Manila
and Japan. Lukaszewicz (SA) qualified for the Gas Negara International
Junior Championships in Jakarta and reached the semifinals. She also
qualified for this week's Amata Cup in Cholburi Pattaya City, and won the
first round. Lara Giltinan, Natasha Kersten and Tiffany Welford also
progressed to the second round along with Darya Ivanov and Adriana Szili,
who had* byes.* Australia is represented in the boys' event by Chris
Guccione, Robert Haybittel and Strahinja Bobusic. Qualifier Joel Kerley
lost his first round match to Swiss Dominikic Stoeckler. To check results
on the ITF junior circuit go to http://www.*****************

** Hope 'halting" her career doesn't mean retirement, she's only 23 and had many years ahead of her. Please come back soon Annabel :(

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By halt, I hope they mean 'temporarily'...but if it does mean she has left for good, I wish her all the best :)

She's still a young woman, and I dont believe she has retired for good...well I hope not! I must say, she did look out of sorts when she got beaten by Fislova in Oz quallies...she just didnt look like she wanted to be there. Maybe she is just taking some time out to freshen up...some players do that. I hope this is the case, cos she is a great asset to Australian womens tennis. BTW, I think it will do her good to spend some time with the young kids, and it will do them some good too, having an experienced player like Annabel coaching them.

Best of luck Annabel! If she is happy away from the circuit, all the best to her. I'll miss her...