Glasgow's Susan Hughes heaved a sigh of relief after she sealed a funding deal with Sportscotland that will keep her as a full-time player at least until the next Commonwealth Games in Delhi in two years' time.

A bronze medallist in the women's singles at the last Games in Melbourne, doubts hung over her future after she was recently dropped from the GB programme.

"It's great news," said the 25-year-old. "I will have to meet fitness and competition targets every three months. They are hard, but not impossible, and that's the way I like it.

"Funding has changed from a few years ago when it was enough just to be the Scottish Champion. I am guaranteed funding until Delhi and it's given me the chance to keep going even longer.

"I think I'm still young enough to have a chance of making the 2012 Olympic Games in London."

Hughes had hopes of making this year's Olympics, but her world ranking has slipped outside the top 40.

This month, she has two tournaments - the Spanish Open in Madrid followed by the Toulouse Open in France.