Scott Duncan, world doubles No 237 from Barnton Park, Edinburgh, flew back from competing in North America to reinforce the East of Scotland men’s bid to win Group One of the British inter-county tennis championship at Eastbourne this week.
Losing out on the title only on sets gained last year was still one of the biggest achievements in local sport given the standards to be met and the East will be confident of going head-to-head again with old rivals Hertfordshire, Kent, Yorkshire, Surrey and Suffolk on the Devonshire Park grass courts.
Player/captained by Alan Macdonald, who has served as Jamie Murray’s doubles coach, the East have, however, been dealt a blow by injury to Jacob Fearnley. Out of Dalkeith and now at Texas Christian University, Jacob had a successful doubles debut at Wimbledon earlier this month when he and partner Johannes Monday came through the opening round on a wildcard before being squeezed out in two tight sets.
Jacob was named Scotland’s “player of the year” at the annual Tennis Scotland Awards,
Matt Rankin, also due to head to the University of Kentucky on a scholarship shortly and a competitor at Junior Wimbledon in 2022, lines up along with Euan McIntosh, James Mackinlay, Sam MacNeil and Phil Blythe.
Matt has recently been training in Boca Raton, USA.
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