The experience of international exposure proved to be an advantage for Shonette Wilson yesterday when she saved five match points on the way to an enthralling three-set victory over 15-year-old schoolgirl Rachael Sawden in the Argus Open at the Government Tennis Stadium.

Island Fed Cup player Wilson eventually came away with a 6-0, 6-7 (7-5) 7-5 victory in the quarter-final match.

It wasn't until the second set that teenager Sawden was able to get her footing, and even then she had to fight off a match point in order to win the set after Wilson had served for the match at 5-4.

After the first set contest turned out to be a match of nerves with both players creating a host of unforced errors, the costliest mistakes were made by Wilson in the second set, as at 5-4 up she then took a 30-15 lead in what might have been the decisive game.

"I could not run with Rachael," admitted Wilson. "So I had to slow her down. But by doing so I made a few errors, although in the end I did not make as many as she did."'

Sawden, playing number one at her school Mt. St. Agnes, said: "`She (Wilson) was just draining, emotionally, mentally and physically, because she refused to let up. She ran for everything.

"It was just disgusting that I let five match points slip away through silly shots that I knew that I shouldn't have played. But under the circumstances I had to take a chance. It just didn't work out."