Julie Pullin will face Cristina Torrens Valero in the opening round of qualifying at the Hastings Direct Championships at Eastbourne.

The British No. 4 from Hove was granted a wild card after impressing in the Wimbledon play-offs which earned her a spot in the main draw of the All England Championships.

The 27-year-old left hander has revived her season after a year in which she has suffered a shoulder problem.

She said: "Everything seems to be turning around for me now and I am delighted.

"Getting into Eastbourne is just what I was looking for because I need as much match practice as possible on grass with Wimbledon coming up."

Pullin is familiar with her Spanish oppononet. She said: "I played with Cristina for Cardiff in the National Club League. She is more a clay court type player."

Elena Baltacha, who is to be replaced as British No. 1 by Anne Keothavong, takes on Swiss Emmanuell Gagliardi in the Eastbourne qualifying today.

Keothavong and fellow Brit Lucie Ahl were yesterday given wild cards into the main draw. Today's qualifying was due to start at 11.30am.

Meanwhile, teenage sensation Maria Sharapova achieved the greatest win of her fledgling career by toppling No. 1 seed Elena Dementieva to reach the semi-finals of the DFS Classic in Birmingham yesterday.