Top seed Julie Pullin had to fight back from a set down to keep alive her hopes of clinching her third National Championship title in Bolton.

Pullin was stretched to the limit by Annabel Blow, an 18-year-old and one of the leading lights of the youth brigade who are beginning to liven up the British women's game.

The 29-year-old from Hove lost the first set but called on her experience to win a long match 4-6 6-4 6-4 and set up a last-four meeting with another former champion, Hannah Collin.

The 1999 winner from Surrey moved comfortably into the semi-finals with a 6-3 6-2 win over Anna Hawkins.

Victoria Davies pulled off the shock of the women's competition so far when the British No. 19 knocked out rising star Elena Baltacha 6-2 7-6.

She now plays Anne Keothavong, who beat Devon's Lucie Ahl 7-6 6-3.

In the men's competition Alex Bogdanovic remained on course to become the youngest ever national champion when he beat James Nelson 6-3 3-6 6-2.

In the semi finals, Bogdanovic plays Arvind Parmar, who beat last year's runner-up Mark Hilton 7-5 3-6 6-4.

Lee Childs, the defending champion, beat second seed Jamie Delgado after Delgado, suffering with a virus, retired when trailing 6-2 4-1.

Childs next meets Lancashire's Barry Cowan, who was made to fight for a 6-4 4-6 6-4 win over James Auckland.