The 18-year-old from Halesowen came from a set and 4-2 down to beat second seed Alix-Gravellier to reach the first ITF Super Series semi-final of her career.

Whiley, currently ranked world number 14, said: "I wasn’t really expecting to win when I went on court today so I think I went on more relaxed than I might have otherwise been which was really the key.

"When I was 4-2 down in the second I just thought, ‘If I’m going to go down I’m going to go down with a fight.’

"So I kept fighting for every point and then all of a sudden I was level at 4-4 and then serving for the second set at 5-4 up.

"I really can't believe I’m in the semis, it’s brilliant and I’ve nothing to lose tomorrow."

The British number two will be looking to cause yet another upset as she takes on Dutch fourth seed Jiske Griffioen after Griffioen secured a 6-4 6-0 victory over her countrywoman and sixth seed Marjolein Buis.

Meanwhile, British number one Lucy Shuker was crushed 6-0 6-1 by the red-hot favourite in Nottingham, Holland's Esther Vergeer.

Vergeer, whose win over Shuker was the 388th consecutive singles victory in her unprecedented winning streak that goes back to January 2003, plays her compatriot Aniek van Koot in the other semi-final.

In the men’s draw Frenchman Nicolas Peifer caused the biggest upset by defeating compatriot and top seed in Nottingham Stephane Houdet 7-5, 6-2 to end the world number two’s hopes of claiming the prestigious title.

Britain’s two representatives in the quarter-finals both had a tough time as British number one David Phillipson fell 6-1 6-2 to Dutch third seed Robin Ammerlaan while British number two Gordon Reid lost to Ronald Vink from the Netherlands 6-4 6-4.

Vink will now play Peifer in the last four while Ammerlaan takes on fellow Dutchman and second seed Maikel Scheffers, who came from behind to beat Japanese sixth seed Satoshi Saida 4-6 6-3  6-4 in the closest of the quarter-finals.

In the quad singles quarter-final, world number two David Wagner beat Britain’s Andrew Lapthorne 6-4 7-6 and the defending champion will now meet Canadian third seed Sarah Hunter in the last four.

Sweden’s world number three Johan Andersson will face former British Open champion Shraga Weinberg of Israel in the other semi finals.       

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