FORMER British champion Janet McMorran caused an upset on the first day of play at the Australian Wheelchair Tennis Open, the first tour event of the year to have Super Series status.

The Bromyard housewife beat seventh seed Chiyoko Ohmae, of Japan, in a thrilling main draw singles match in Melbourne yesterday (Wednesday).

After dropping a first set tie-break, British number two McMorran recovered to take the final set, also on tie-break, and seal a 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(1) win.

This earned her a place in the last 16 against talented Dutch teenager Korie Homan.

There was disappointment, however, for Hereford's Matthew Faucher who went out 6-3, 6-2 to fellow Brit Kevin Plowman in the opening men's main draw singles.

Previously, both Mc-Morran and Faucher had suffered first-round defeats in the Sydney International Open.