'I can aim for more this time' - Klugman confident about Junior Wimbledon chances after clinching LTA Under-16 crown
BySportsbeat
Updated 07/04/2023 at 15:56 GMT
Hannah Klugman defeated Mika Stojsavljevic in straight sets to claim the Under-16 girls' singles title at the LTA Junior National Tennis Championships. Klugman, 14, beat Middlesex's Mika Stojsavljevic 6-4 6-0 in an entertaining final played in the sunshine at the LTA's National Tennis Centre in Roehampton on Friday. 'I can aim for more there this time,' she said of her Wimbledon chances.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 03: Hannah Klugman of Great Britain plays a forehand against Yu-Yun Li of Chinese Taipei during their Girls' Singles First Round match on day seven of The Championships Wimbledon 2022 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on J
Image credit: Eurosport
Surrey's Hannah Klugman is relishing the prospect of another appearance at Wimbledon after she won the Under-16 girls' singles title at the LTA Junior National Championships.
Klugman, 14, beat Middlesex's Mika Stojsavljevic 6-4 6-0 in an entertaining final played in the sunshine at the LTA's National Tennis Centre in Roehampton on Friday.
"I played a really solid game, stepped up when I needed to and mentally I was really ready for this final," said Klugman, who is supported by the LTA's MWP programme and also trains under coach Ben Haran's watch at Reeds Academy in Surrey.
"I tried to take the pressure off myself because it is just a tennis match at the end of the day and I wanted to enjoy it. Thankfully I managed to get the win after a tight first set."
Klugman will now be handed a wildcard into the Junior Wimbledon championships this summer and she is excited by the prospect of playing at the All England Club once again.
"I played in the Junior events at Wimbledon last summer and now I feel like I can aim for more there this time," she added.
"I have got my ranking up over the last year and won a J200 event, so I can't wait to play some of the Junior Grand Slams this year.
"Of course, I think about the days when I play at Wimbledon, everyone who plays tennis thinks about that. But there is no pressure on me at the moment and I just want to go out there and enjoy myself."
Both players who contested the Girls' Final are supported by the LTA, with Stojsavljevic training at the National Academy in Loughborough and benefiting from high-intensity daily training environments with world-class science and medicine support, working in partnership with a local school, to help them successfully develop into emerging tour professionals.
"I'm delighted to see the depth we have in the Junior game in Britain and it has been on display throughout this 16 and under Junior Nationals event," said former British No.1 Katie O'Brien, who is LTA Women's National coach.
"It was so impressive to see their mentality and professionalism. The two players in the final performed so well under pressure and we saw a high-quality final between Hannah and Mika. Credit goes to both of them.
"Now we are looking forward to the 18 and under Junior National Championships next week when some of the girls who have been playing all over the world in recent months will be coming back to compete."
The 18U LTA Junior National Tennis Championships get underway at the National Tennis Centre next Tuesday.
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