Lauren lands second successive doubles title

After successive victories at Cardiff’s NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour event over the past two years, the Worthing 17-year-old and British No 3 Louise Hunt teamed up to win their third ITF Future Series title, living up to their top seeding as they beat fellow Brits Debbie Brazier and Caroline Wareing 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

Earlier in the tournament, Jones had reached her first singles final of the year.

She beat Michelle Oglesby 6-1, 6-0 in her opening singles match and then fought back strongly from a mid-match dip in her semi-final against Brazier to prevail 6-1, 3-6, 6-0. But up against top seed Hunt in the final, Jones was unable to launch another comeback and Hunt eventually claimed the title 6-2, 6-1.

Jones, a member of the Tennis Foundation’s Wheelchair Tennis Performance Programme, said: “After two semi-finals in the last two months in Preston and Sunderland, it’s nice to have reached my first singles final of the year, but I was seeded to reach the final in Sheffield and didn’t make it that easy on myself, so there’s plenty to work on for the rest of the season.

“It’s always fun playing doubles with Louise and we’ve got a good record together here in tournaments in Britain and I hope we have many more chances to play together.”