SILCHESTER tennis ace Hannah Smith rounded off 2017 with a string a good performances resulting in selection for the Great Britain Girls under-14 team to play against the USA at Roehampton this week.

Smith came through a hectic but successful last few weeks of 2017 competing in five tournaments in five weeks.

The 13-year-old helped the Hampshire Ladies win the AEGON Winter County Cup 2017 - Ladies Group 4A Division 1 event held in Newport, Wales before flying off immediately to Sweden to compete in the Tennis Europe Norrkoping Elite Hotels Junior Open.

Ranked sixth in the singles event Smith battled her way through to the semi-finals, winning 6-3 7-6 in the first round against Sweden’s Nadia Mezan, 6-4 6-1 against Wictoria Paul from Poland in round 2 and 6-1 6-4 against Nahia Berecoechea of France in the quarter finals before losing by the same score against Amelia Walgora of Germany in the semi-final.

However, Smith was able to go one better in the doubles event in Sweden, partnering Berecoechea of France, the third seed pairing fought hard to win against number one seeds from Poland in a close three set semi-final battle before winning the Tennis Europe title defeating the Polish partnership of Jodlowska and Piestrzynska in the final 6-3, 7-5.

Just hours after the event, Smith then flew back to Bolton where she joined her school team to compete in the National School Team Tennis Finals.

With Smith having to step up an age group Talbot Heath faced three other schools who had fought through local and regional competitions throughout the year to make it to the finals held in Bolton.

Without dropping a single set over the weekend, Talbot Heath defeated competition from Leicester Grammar School, Manchester High School and Culford School to win the Year 9/10 National Schools Title for the second year in a row.

The following day Smith flew out to Norway to compete in the Tennis Europe Paradis Open.

Seeded third in the singles, Smith again made it through to the semi-finals defeating Kuznecova of Lithuania and Glowacka of Poland, before losing to French player Chaumeil in the semi-final 6-3 6-2.

Again in the Doubles event Smith went one further to take the Tennis Europe title, partnering with Ninon Martinache of France, the pairing reached the final defeating the all French pairing of Chaumeil and Zoppas 6-4,6-2.

Immediately after Christmas the Winter National Tour event was held at the Nottingham Tennis Centre. Competing in the girls 14 and under category, Smith faced Iman Khan in the first round, winning after a close first set 7-6 6-1, followed by defeating Chloe Elliott 6-3, 6-0 in the second round.

In the quarter finals Smith faced Islay Thornicroft winning convincingly 6-2, 6-0 and then faced Eleanor Nobbs in the Semi Final, winning 6-3-, 6-1 to reach the final.

Although losing to Eva Shaw in a closely fought battle in the final, Smith’s performances during December secured her selection for Great Britain.