A young Sussex tennis player has taken her first tentative steps on the professional circuit and is ready to confront a few harsh realities to make her dreams come true.

Kirsty Woolley was a fascinated viewer when Justine Henin-Hardenne beat Kim Clijsters at last month's Australian Open and hopes one day she can share the limelight with them.

She also wants to be British No. 1, just like former Sussex players Clare Wood and the recently retired Julie Pullin.

Woolley, 17, is encouraged by a recent victory against Elke Clijsters, younger sister of Kim, at the Jersey Open.

She said: "That was pretty good as Elke is world ranked 400. I spotted her on her mobile in the locker room talking to Kim about how I had beaten her."

Woolley's ambitions are tempered by perspective as she finds her footing on the lowest rung of the ladder.

She said: "I have a belief in myself that I can make it. Tennis is 110 per cent what I want to do.

"But I won't get carried away. I'll set my goals and move up a level at a time."

She knows it is a long haul and life on the road is less than glamorous when dealing with practicalities.

Woolley, from Worthing, has to organise her own schedules, entry for tournaments and hotels.

She must confront language barriers, practise with strangers, steel herself for 'sledging' by opponents and be mentally strong enough to cope with defeat on her own.

Funding her learning experiences is critical to how far she can progress and she has turned to those closest to her for financial support.

So far Kirsty has earned just £330 in prize money and estimates playing on the circuit costs £16,500 a year.

The Woolley family have cut down on holidays, kept an ageing family saloon car and dipped into savings. They are happy to make the sacrifices.

But the expenses mount up with entry fees, flights, accommodation, equipment, clothing, physio and food to pay for.

Kirsty comes from a tennis-playing family - brother Daniel represented British juniors.

She has been in love with the game ever since picking up her brother's stray tennis balls as a four-year-old at the West Worthing club.

She had her first hit at eight years old. A year later she won a tournament ("It was in Portsmouth and I've still got the trophy at home") and gained a place on a national squad at Withdean with Nigel Sears, who has coached Daniela Hantuchova, Barbara Schett, Amanda Coetzer and Pullin.

Kirsty said: "I developed quickly by playing with older kids and was coached by big British names like Chris Bailey, Mark Petchey, Clare Wood and, of course, Nigel."

She reached the national under-14s final and earned a place in the British team for an international in Sweden. More trips abroad followed.

She said: "When I was 13 I went to the Czech Republic and saw people lying in the street ill or injured. It wasn't nice.

"I just had to block it out and focus on what I was there for."

She has learned plenty by going onto the circuit part-time after leaving Worthing High school last summer.

"There was an experienced Irish player called Karen Nugent who used every trick in the book to put me off but I coped."

Rain delays at Felixstowe have taught about time-management skills and patience.

"I sat in my hotel bedroom for a day-and-a-half in between going back to the courts. As I was first match on I had prepared to play the whole time. I tried to plan when to eat, when to warm-up and relax."

She has concentrated on $10,000 and $25,000 tournaments in Britain but plans trips to France, Portugal, Belgium and Greece for events.

"I want to play in tournaments where I can pick up as many points as possible and that means going abroad.

"There are circuits in the States and Mexico where I can do the same but I can't afford to go that far yet."

Woolley has worked hard on her technique at LTA squad sessions she attends between tournaments at Sutton in Surrey.

"I would say my game is more about power than finesse but I believe that is the way in professional tennis."

Woolley is also inspired by Anna Kournikova.

"I know so much is made of the way she looks but I admired her as a player ever since I saw how hard she worked in training when she was 14."

Woolley offers the combination of talent, determination, intelligence and a presentable image to sponsors.

She would like to attract one or two. It might help her onto the second rung.