LOUISE Hunt is looking to build on her recent success at the ITF Israel Open as she kicks off her campaign in Bucharest, writes Ellen Bassam.

The Wanborough wheelchair tennis ace won the singles and doubles titles in Israel and is aiming for more of the same at the Bucharest Open which started today, her last chance to earn more ranking points before the Paralympic Games.

The 24-year old Paralympian, speaking ahead of the upcoming tournament in Romania, was optimistic given the progress she has made throughout the year.

“I’m really excited, I’ve never been there before so it’s a new experience for me,” she told the Advertiser.

“My last tournament in Israel went really well, my training is going great and I’m the best prepared I could be really.

“I’ll take it one match at a time and focus on what I want to do rather than who I’m playing.

“It is quite exciting that it’s a completely different draw from my last few tournaments, so it’s nice to play people I haven’t played in a while.

“I had a bit of a dip near the start of the year and wasn’t putting out the performances I wanted.”

Hunt got into the doubles top 10 rankings in 2015 and after slipping a few spots in the last few months, she is targeting a renewed push back up to those heights.

“In the last month or so I’ve picked it back up again and will hopefully peak at the right time,” she added.

“I got to number 10 just before Christmas, now I’ve had a taste of that I’m dying to get back up there”

“It feels different, I want that number 10 back at least.”

Throughout 2016, Hunt’s singles game has been developing, reaching parity with her favoured doubles, both now ranking at number 12 internationally.

This comes right in time for Rio, a tournament she is well on course to qualify for.

“It’s something that has been a big thing for us, I’ve always had a good doubles record but I feel like they’re matching now,” she added.

“For a long time my doubles was a lot higher, so everything is starting to even out with both.

“I’m enjoying my singles a lot more now. To qualify you have to be in the top 22, obviously I am at 12, so I’m sitting quite comfortably, it’s a nice place to be”

“Four years on it’s a lot better, its nice, this year qualifying isn’t something I’m paranoid about, obviously I want to be in the top ten or the top eight, but its a different kind of pressure.”