JANET McMorran's delayed start to her season almost resulted in a fairy-tale ending as she reached the ladies' singles final at the US Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships in San Diego.

It is one of only two events on the world-wide NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour to have Super Series status, the equivalent of Grand Slam.

Former British number one McMorran, who did not play her first tournament of 2001 until July due to elbow surgery, was beaten 6-2, 6-0 by top seed Sonja Peters, of the Netherlands, in the final.

However, the mother-of-three from Tedstone Delamere, near Bromyard, had earlier played some scintillating tennis to see off the second and fourth seeds in the quarter finals and semi-finals.