INDIAN WELLS' QUALIES

A side of pro tennis that most of us are unaware is the 'Qualies" - where good players whose ranking doesn't get them into the main draw must compete for the chance to play the 'real' tournament.

Qualies are usually held a few days before the main draw and those who reach the semis will get entry.

Leigh's team mate [at University of Kentucky], Sarah Witten has a brother, Jesse, who has to go the qualies route.

We watched Jesse play the first round at the US Open a couple of years ago.He'd come through the qualies and lost a difficult 5 set match in the main.

He's just flown out to Indian Wells because he got a wild card into the qualies.

But what a tough row to hoe.

If he wins his first round against Capdeville [a rising Chilean], he would play, probably, Xavier Malisse and then Evgeny Korolev --in the qualies!!!