Katie O'Brien, who only left Woodhouse Grove School last summer after taking her A Levels, was a loser twice in finals yesterday at the $10,000 LTA Ladies' event at Tipton.

O'Brien, 19 next month, was beaten 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, 6-4 in the singles by Irina Bulykina (Russia) before combining with Melanie South (Great Britain) in a 6-4, 6-2 doubles final defeat against twice former Ilkley winner Surina De Beer (South Africa) and Jane O'Donoghue (Great Britain).