Also backing "Ex-tender" (4)
I believe the answer is:
anna
If this is the answer I cannot explain how the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for anna that I've seen before include "- - Ford (TV)" , "and eleven, twenty four across heroine" , "was of very small account in India" , "-- Karenina, Tolstoy novel" , "- - Kournikova (tennis)" .)