ONE of the hardest things in tennis is making the breakthrough from the junior ranks into the seniors.

Some world No 1 juniors have disappeared almost without trace in the past and, while former world No 2 junior Liam Broady is not there yet, he is at least making headway.

For example, the 21-year-old from Stockport, who has two Grand Slam junior boys' doubles titles under his belt (Wimbledon in 2010 and the Australian Open in 2012), has improved his senior singles ranking from 1600 in 2009 to a current career-high of 176.

However, the British No 5 drew the short straw in the Aegon Ilkley Open yesterday as he faced top seed Malek Jaziri of Tunisia.

Broady, whose sister Naomi used to go to Woodhouse Grove School, lost 6-4, 6-4 to the world No 82, and explained afterwards why he had come back to the spa town.

The bearded left-hander said: "I had the choice of playing qualifying in the ATP Tour event at Queen's Club or playing in the main draw at Ilkley.

"I have played at Ilkley in the ITF Futures before and it is a beautiful town with some good restaurants, so I chose Ilkley.

"He (Malek) served well and I didn't really have much chance to break it but I know there are things that I need to work on, and I am working on them, such as improving my strength."

Another British casualty was Marcus Willis from Wokingham, near Reading.

The 24-year-old left-hander followed Broady onto the Centre Court and was beaten 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 by wild card Gregor Zemlja.

Willis, who did well to even reach the first set tie-break as he trailed 5-4 in the first set with the Slovenian to serve, then led 5-3 in the tie-break but could not finish his man off.

Willis, who often flummoxed Zemlja with the direction of his serve, said: "He was ranked 43 in the world two years ago and I served well and played well but could not quite make the breakthrough."

There was a British winner in the first round of the men's singles, however, as 25-year-old wild card Joshua Milton, who was first on Centre Court in front of another healthy crowd that included former Bradford Northern legend Ellery Hanley, beat Spain's sixth-seeded Adrian Menendez-Maceiras 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

"I just had to forget how badly I had played in the first set," said Cardiff-based Milton, who may have lost his Welsh accent through living in England for so long but hasn't forgotten how to battle.

He faces India's Yuki Bhambri today, while Ireland's James McGee faces Zemlja's countryman Blaz Rola in the 42,500 euros ATP Challenger event.

British losers in the first round of the $50,000 ITF Women's Pro Circuit tournament that is running alongside the men were Jodie Anna Burrage (6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to Chinese seventh seed Qiang Wang) and Gabriella Taylor (1-6, 6-2, 6-2 to fifth seeded Pole Magda Linette).

Those trying today are Katy Dunne (against France's Stephanie Foretz) and Tara Moore (against Japan's Misa Eguchi).