CUMBERLAND S British No.1 Anne Keothavong missed the chance to reach the last eight of the Bank of the West Classic, losing to beaten finalist Marion Bartoli in California last week. The 24-year-old threw away a potential match-winning position against t

CUMBERLAND'S British No.1 Anne Keothavong missed the chance to reach the last eight of the Bank of the West Classic, losing to beaten finalist Marion Bartoli in California last week.

The 24-year-old threw away a potential match-winning position against the 2007 Wimbledon runner-up.

Keothavong was 4-1 up in the deciding set and heading for the quarter-finals but then lost four straight games.

Although she levelled at 5-5, the Briton could not stop the world No. 15 closing out a 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 victory. Bartoli raced through the first set after taking a 3-0 and 4-1 lead. However, the second set was an entirely different matter, with Keothavong in complete control.

Bartoli held serve to go 1-0 up in the decider. But Keothavong won the next three games to appear on course for another impressive victory following her defeat of world No.33 Sania Mirza in the first round.

Meanwhile, Keothavong lost 6-3, 6-2 to veteran American Jill Craybas in the first round of the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles this week.

Keothavong, up to a career-best 76 in the world, was broken in the second game and never recovered.