LOUISE Hunt returned to the world's top 20 after finishing runner-up in the Biel-Bienne Indoors in Switzerland, where she secured the best win of her career.

The 19-year-old Wanborough star, who is a sports performance and science student at the University of Bath, did not have an easy draw, but opened with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Switzerland's world number 24 Parmila Grangier, the player she edged out for the fourth-seeded spot at the tournament.

Hunt then came from 4-1 down and 40-30 down in the second set of her quarter-final against Austria's Henriett Koosz to prevail 6-3, 6-4 and earn a semi against German top seed Katharina Kruger.

World number 12 Kruger subsequently became the highest-ranked opponent that British number three Hunt had beaten during her career, as the Briton won 6-1, 0-6, 6-2 in a rollercoaster contest.

A second match in a year against third seed Sabin Ellerbrock provided a tough mental and physical challenge for Hunt, who had been unable to take a game off the German when they first met in 2010.

However, despite slipping to a 6-4, 6-1 loss this time, Hunt was more than happy with her week's work.

“Although I lost, I certainly wasn't disappointed with the way I played and can take a lot of positives away from the match, such as coming from 5-1 down in the first set,” said 2012 Paralympic hopeful Hunt. “I had a point to make it 5-5 and then saved three match points in the second set when I was 5-0 down before taking that game, but Sabine is just a very good player.

"All in all it's been a very good week and I'm proud of how I've coped with some tricky situations.

“After recovering from the verge of going 5-1 down in the second set of my quarter-final and then pulling myself back together after losing the second set against Katharina 6-0 in the semi-finals to gain the biggest match win of my career, it's good experience I can draw on in the future.”

n NEXT Generation academy youngster Ema Lazic has experienced success playing up an age group recently.

The Wiltshire number one for under 12s competed in three under 14s events and won at Oxfordshire and Newport while ending runner-up in Gloucester.

Under 10 player Niamh Townsend won a grade four event in Berkshire which qualifies her for the next stage in Sutton, Surrey, while Tommy Dearsley came third in the boys’ event.

George James was unlucky to lose in the final at a grade four event at Swindon’s Delta Tennis Centre recently.