LAURA EALES from Somerford Keynes showed the benefit of her first year on a four-year tennis scholarship at Long Beach in California when returning to Britain this summer.

Laura and her younger sister Jenny both played for Gloucestershire Ladies Tennis team at the Aegon Summer County Cup in Cambridge.

Taking on Somerset, Leicestershire, North Wales, South Wales and Avon the girls played three doubles matches each day. There were a number of close matches but the team could gain only one victory – over Somerset on the final day.

However, out of more than 330 ladies competing in the event at various venues around the country, Laura and her partner Lissey Barnett from Painswick were two of only five ladies nationwide who won a magnificent 15 out of 15 matches.

Meanwhile, Jenny has been a key member of the Gloucester Virgin Active Ladies Doubles team that won the Premier Ladies' Doubles County League this summer.