BADMINTON ace Brooke Stalker will be out to serve up a defence of three Scottish titles when she steps onto the court this weekend.

The talented 13-year-old, from Dunfermline, will be hoping to make net gains in the girls' singles, doubles and mixed doubles when the Under-15/19 Scottish National Junior Championships get under way on Saturday.

Brooke, the niece of the late former Scottish international, Russell Hogg, claimed a clean sweep of under-15 crowns 12 months ago having first won the girls' doubles in 2017.

But, despite that achievement, she will go into this year's competition as the second seed in two of her events – in the singles and mixed doubles – but is the top seed in the girls' doubles, in which she will partner Edinburgh's Vibha Raman.

That new partnership has been established as Keryn Swan, who Brooke claimed glory with in 2018, has moved up an age group.

Katrina Chan, of Glasgow, is the top seed in the singles while, in the mixed doubles, Brooke and partner Anthony McGuire – who was alongside her for last year's victory – are seeded second this time around, with Josh Taylor and Katie Stewart installed as top seeds.

Success at the competition, which takes place at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell, would bookend a fine 12 months for Brooke, who competed at the Scottish Open at Glasgow's Emirates Arena recently.

The Dunfermline and West Fife Sports Council Young Sports Person of the Year reached the semi-finals in the singles at the Scottish National Under-17 Junior Badminton Championships, won doubles and mixed doubles gold, and singles bronze, at the Under-15 Bulgaria International and was selected by Badminton Scotland to compete in the Under-17 European Championships in Poland.

Brooke will be joined at the championships by another West Fife player, Calum Flockhart, who will compete in the under-19 age group.

The Kelty star, who was in action at the Babolat Dunfermline Badminton Championships at the weekend, is seeded sixth in the singles, in which Joshua Apiliga – who also featured at the Carnegie Leisure Centre event – is the top seed.

The tournament will be held over both Saturday and Sunday.