Latest news with #MikaStojsavljevic
Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Three British teenagers handed Wimbledon wildcards
Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic, a pair of British 16-year-olds with rich potential, have been granted wildcards to play in the main draw of Wimbledon in 10 days' time. Both these players have reached finals at junior slam level in the last year, with Stojsavljevic winning September's US Open in apparently nerveless style while Klugman finished as runner-up at the recent French Open. Also on the list is Mingge Xu, who is slightly older at 17, but who claimed a maiden victory at WTA Tour level on Tuesday when she overcame world No 96 Katie Volynets at the Nottingham Open. These three teenagers have been making waves on the junior circuit for some time. History suggests that it is beneficial to be part of a strong cohort of juniors, so that your contemporaries function as both rivals and sparring partners. Emma Raducanu is a direct contemporary of fellow top-50 player Sonay Kartal, although two other girls – Holly Fischer and Kylie Bilchev – seemed just as likely to make it for much of the 2010s. Wimbledon wild cards are a valuable currency, especially now that first-round losers' prize money has climbed to £66,000. The lists released by the All England Club on Wednesday morning show 14 British names for the main singles draws – seven men and seven women – along with one overseas player: double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova from the Czech Republic, who is making her return from maternity leave aged 35 and is ranked outside the world's top 500. The women's list also includes such familiar names as Heather Watson, Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart and Fran Jones, while former top-30 player Dan Evans – who is due to play Brandon Nakashima on Wednesday at Queen's Club – is the best-known of the male beneficiaries. Also featured are Jay Clarke, Oliver Crawford, George Loffhagen, Johannus Monday, Jack Pinnington Jones and Henry Searle – the last of these being the 19-year-old who won the Wimbledon boys' championship in 2022. Who are the three British teenagers making their Wimbledon debuts? Hannah Klugman (born February 18, 2009) Klugman, 16, grew up in Wimbledon as part of a well-heeled family and received coaching in her younger years from Alison Taylor, wife of 1973 Wimbledon semi-finalist Roger Taylor. She made the headlines in December 2023 when she won the prestigious Orange Bowl under-18 event in Florida at just 14 years old. No British girl had ever claimed that title before. More recently, she has been coached by the experienced Ben Haran, who also contributed to Jack Draper's development. Mika Stojsavljevic (born December 15, 2008) Lives in Acton, west London, and idolises Maria Sharapova. At September's US Open, she became the first British girl to win a junior slam since Laura Robson triumphed at Wimbledon in 2009. The daughter of eastern European parents, her father is a London-born Serb while her mother is from Poland. Like Sharapova, she is a tall player with a big game, while her backhand is a particularly pure strike. While Stojsavljevic, 16, was not as much of a phenomenon in the younger age-groups as Klugman – who developed unusually early – she has come to prominence since turning 14. Minggee Xu (born October 2, 2007) Xu s tarted playing tennis as a child in Swansea before moving to the National Tennis Academy in Loughborough. She is coached by fellow Welsh national Matthew James, a former coach of Emma Raducanu. The 17-year-old has an excellent CV at junior level after becoming the youngest player to enter Junior Wimbledon in 2021 before winning the LTA National Championships a year later. She has previously teamed up with Stojsavljevic in doubles, losing in the final of the girls' tournament at Wimbledon last year and won on her WTA main-draw debut in Nottingham this week beating Katie Volynets 6-3, 6-3 in under 90 minutes.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Britain's next big things for Wimbledon: Meet the two 16-year-old junior Grand Slam stars and a 17-year-old handed £66,000 main draw wildcards into the Championships
Teenagers Hannah Klugman, Mimi Xu and Mika Stojsavljevic will make their senior Wimbledon debuts at this summer's Championships after being awarded main-draw wild cards worth £66,000. Klugman and Stojsavljevic, both 16, and 17-year-old Xu are at the forefront of an exciting generation of British youngsters. Stojsavljevic won the US Open junior title last year and Klugman, who made the final round of Wimbledon qualifying 12 months ago, reached the French Open girls' final earlier this month. Xu, meanwhile, has beaten two top-100 players on grass this month and is close to breaking into the top 300 in the women's game. The trio will be joined in the main draw by more experienced campaigners in Heather Watson, Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage and Fran Jones. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has also been given a wild card after returning to the sport following the birth of her son. Seven British men have been given wild cards into the main draw, including veteran Dan Evans, whose ranking has slipped to 199. Jack Pinnington Jones and Johannus Monday - the latest British players to come through the US college system - will both make their debuts, while 19-year-old former junior champion Henry Searle has been given a wild card for a second year. Jay Clarke, Oliver Crawford and George Loffhagen complete the septet. The main draw wildcards are lucrative with players banking £66,000 for appearing in the first round of the Grand Slam. A first round win alone will net players £99,000 at this year's Championships after Wimbledon confirmed prize money last week. A notable absentee among the wildcards was France's Lois Boisson, who produced a stunning run to the French Open semi-finals. Boisson's shock performance saw her ranking rise from the No361 to 65, but her ascent came too late to earn a main draw berth at Wimbledon. The French star will instead have to go through qualifying to reach the main draw.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
The three British teenagers to star at Wimbledon
Hannah Klugman, Mimi Xu, and Mika Stojsavljevic will debut at Wimbledon after being awarded main-draw wild cards. Klugman and Stojsavljevic, both 16, and 17-year-old Xu are considered promising British players. Heather Watson, Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage, and Fran Jones will also join the main draw. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has received a wild card after returning to the sport following the birth of her son. Seven British men, including Dan Evans, Jack Pinnington Jones, Johannus Monday, Henry Searle, Jay Clarke, Oliver Crawford, and George Loffhagen, have been granted wild cards into the main draw.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Teenage British trio set for Wimbledon debuts as wildcards revealed
Teenagers Hannah Klugman, Mimi Xu and Mika Stojsavljevic will make their senior Wimbledon debuts at this summer's Championships after being awarded main-draw wild cards. Klugman and Stojsavljevic, both 16, and 17-year-old Xu are at the forefront of an exciting generation of British youngsters. Stojsavljevic won the US Open junior title last year and Klugman, who made the final round of Wimbledon qualifying 12 months ago, reached the French Open girls' final earlier this month. Xu, meanwhile, has beaten two top-100 players on grass this month and is close to breaking into the top 300 in the women's game. The trio will be joined in the main draw by more experienced campaigners in Heather Watson, Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage and Fran Jones. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has also been given a wild card after returning to the sport following the birth of her son. Seven British men have been given wild cards into the main draw, including veteran Dan Evans, whose ranking has slipped to 199. Jack Pinnington Jones and Johannus Monday – the latest British players to come through the US college system – will both make their debuts, while 19-year-old former junior champion Henry Searle has been given a wild card for a second year. , Oliver Crawford and George Loffhagen complete the septet.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
British teenage trio handed Wimbledon wild cards for main draw
Teenagers Hannah Klugman, Mimi Xu and Mika Stojsavljevic will make their senior Wimbledon debuts at this summer's Championships after being awarded main-draw wild cards. Klugman and Stojsavljevic, both 16, and 17-year-old Xu are at the forefront of an exciting generation of British youngsters. Stojsavljevic won the US Open junior title last year and Klugman, who made the final round of Wimbledon qualifying 12 months ago, reached the French Open girls' final earlier this month. Xu, meanwhile, has beaten two top-100 players on grass this month and is close to breaking into the top 300 in the women's game. The trio will be joined in the main draw by more experienced campaigners in Heather Watson, Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage and Fran Jones. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has also been given a wild card after returning to the sport following the birth of her son. Seven British men have been given wild cards into the main draw, including veteran Dan Evans, whose ranking has slipped to 199. Jack Pinnington Jones and Johannus Monday – the latest British players to come through the US college system – will both make their debuts, while 19-year-old former junior champion Henry Searle has been given a wild card for a second year. Jay Clarke, Oliver Crawford and George Loffhagen complete the septet.
