Tennis: Hunter earns her stripes with easy win

Edinburgh tennis hopeful Alexandra Hunter more than justified a wildcard entry into the AEGON junior international tennis tournament with a stunning 6-1, 6-3 victory over Japanese rival Mizuka Sakurai in the under-14 event at Craiglockhart.

Miss Hunter, drawing on experience of representing Great Britain at under-12 level in the prestigious Auray tournament in France this year, now faces a major challenge later today when she takes on the top seed Eden Richardson, who dropped just one game in booking her second-round place.

In the boys under-18 singles there was a gallant show from the Capital’s Euan McIntosh who lost 3-6, 6-7 (5) to fellow Briton Alex Gasson while under-18 girls prospect Anna Brogan, from Glasgow, progressed with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Pippa Carr. Miss Brogan is expected back on court today alongside fellow Scots Anastasia Mikheeva and Millie Stretton, both from Edinburgh.

Twelve-year-old Anastasia, another wildcard, bids to follow up her opening day success at the expense of Sabrina Federica, while Millie encounters “lucky loser” Jennifer Brown.