WEST HANTS players Jodie Burrage and Lauryn John-Baptiste have continued their fine form by reaching the latter stages of the tournament at the National Tennis Centre in London.
John-Baptiste gained her place in the 16 &under girls draw of the Aegon Junior International through a wildcard entry and duly showed why she had been chosen by reaching the semi-finals of the competition, where she was beaten by her West Hants team –mate Burrage, who was playing as the second seed of the tournament.
On her way to the last four, John-Baptiste dropped just ten games in three matches as she beat Olivia Parson, Jodie Annie Lawrence Taylor both of Great Britain and Italy’s Ingrid Di Carlo in the quarter-finals.
Burrage had a similarly straight-forward route through to the semi-finals, she beat fellow Briton’s Michealla Brown and Ali Collins in the first round and quarter finals respectively either side of a win over Italian Elisa Lauri in the second round.
The two West Hants players met in the semi-finals and it was the 2nd seed who progressed to the final after a competitive match. Burrage took it in straight set 6-1, 6-3 and in doing so, booked her place in the final where she would face Miriam Bolkvadze of Georgia, who was the top seed of the draw.
Burrage’s form in the previous rounds of the tournament had been very impressive, but in the final she came up against an opponent who was at the top of her game. Burrage was unable to keep up with Bolkvadze and succumbed to the top seed in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.
Click Here for more information on the Aegon Junior International at the National Tennis Centre
By Harry Lund