Who is Hannah Klugman? Meet the British teenager in a Roland Garros final
British tennis has an exciting collection of junior girls emerging through the ranks and one of the most promising players is making waves in the French Open Junior event in Paris.
Hannah Klugman has won LTA Junior National titles in Britain and reached the third round of qualifying for Wimbledon last year at the age of 15.
Now Klugman is threatening to create another big moment in her fledgling career, after she came from a set down to beat Bulgarian Rositsa Dencheva 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 on the Roland Garros clay.
This came after she also came from a set down to beat Sarah Melany Fajmonova in a thrilling quarter-final on Thursday.
Klugman is the first British player to make it through to a Junior final at Roland Garros in 49 years and she admitted the moment was overwhelming.
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“I’m just a bit shocked, to be honest,” Klugman said, as quoted by the BBC. “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.
“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.”
Kingston-born Klugman is supported by the LTA’s Pro Scholarship programme, the elite level of backing given to rising stars of the British game by the nation’s governing body.
She has been identified as a rising star of the game for some time and won the prestigious Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships oin 2023 to confirm her potential.
Klugman defeated American Tyra Grant 6-3, 6-3 in the final at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Florida, to win one of the most sought-after trophies for young players.
The Orange Bowl is considered the final Grade A – the highest classification of the event on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors calendar – of the season.
She also reached the doubles final at the Wimbledon Juniors event in 2023 after in her interviews with the media at the All England Club, it was evident that she was living out her dream to play on the famous grass courts.
“I used to come to with my mum when I was five and always loved it,” said Klugman. “Watching Andy Murray win it’s definitely my standout memory.
“I’d love to win Wimbledon – 100 per cent and that’s a massive goal.
“I love the buzz, it’s crazy – it’s tough to relax a little bit more.
“I’m still at school at Wimbledon High School, who are really good to me at letting me go out and play more tennis and go to tournaments.
“I love seeing my friends at school and chatting to people who aren’t always in tennis to take myself away from it.”
Klugman lost out to Mika Stojsavljevic in a high quality 18 & Under Junior Nationals finals in April, after she served for the match against the player who won last year’s US Open Junior Girls title.
Britain’s impressive performances in Junior tennis suggest they will have players breaking through at the highest levels of the game in the years to come.
Klugman will now take on Austria’s Lilli Tagger on Saturday for the trophy, after she beat top seed Emerson Jones in a semi-final upset.
She is aiming to emulate Britain’s Michelle Tyler, who won the French Open girls’ title in 1976.
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