Klugman ends GB's long wait for Paris junior finalist
French Open 2025Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland GarrosCoverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app
Teenager Hannah Klugman underlined her potential by becoming the first British player in almost 50 years to reach a French Open junior singles final.The 16-year-old fought back to win 1-6 6-3 6-3 against 18-year-old Bulgarian Rositsa Dencheva on the Roland Garros clay."I'm just a bit shocked, to be honest," Klugman said"I wasn't playing my best and I found it tough to get myself into the match."I felt like as soon as I did that I was in a good space and I thought I could do well if I got into the match."Klugman, who was born in London and raised in Wimbledon, will play Austria's Lilli Tagger on Saturday for the trophy.She is aiming to emulate Britain's Michelle Tyler, who won the French Open girls title in 1976.
It is a first Grand Slam girls singles final for the highly-rated Klugman, who already has some impressive results to her name.She shot to wider prominence by winning prestigious Orange Bowl junior championships in Florida at the age of 14.Past winners of the Orange Bowl include French Open finalist Coco Gauff, as well as Grand Slam champions Chris Evert, Caroline Wozniacki and Bianca Andreescu.Klugman has also contested two Grand Slam girls' doubles finals, losing the 2023 Wimbledon and this year's Australian Open trophy matches."I think I've been mentally very good this week. I think I'm staying calm in big moments, and also just trying to take it in," Klugman added."These moments don't happen a lot, so trying to enjoy it is a big part."My coach and physio are basically saying go out there and enjoy it, because you might never be in the spot again."
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