Two of Britain’s most promising young tennis players, Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic, are ready to leave junior competition behind as they prepare to test themselves in a professional setting. Both 16-year-olds made their Wimbledon debut this summer in the main draw, which was an important step forward in their sports careers. Now, they are determined to build on that momentum and start aiming for the WTA Tour.
Klugman, who recently reached a career-high junior ranking of world number two, has enjoyed a standout year. She was a finalist at the French Open, reached the semi-finals of the US Open, and battled through to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. Despite these achievements, she believes the time has come to take on new challenges.
“I think I’m done with juniors now; I’m kind of ready to step into the seniors,” she explained during the US Open, stating that she had gained a significant three years of exposure due to taking on the sport at a young age and that “it’s time to move on.”
Although she has not completely ruled out a final junior appearance at Roland Garros next year, Klugman insists that winning junior matches no longer stretches her game. “These matches—I don’t have to play well to win them. I can play a five out of ten and get the win, and I know in seniors I definitely can’t do that. Juniors is just a stepping stone,” she said.
Her compatriot Stojsavljevic is equally determined to move up the ranks. Already a junior Grand Slam champion, she narrowly missed defending her US Open crown this month, falling back in the semi-finals. Nevertheless, she captured a $35,000 title on the ITF World Tennis Tour in Nottingham earlier this year, earning 35 ranking points and proving her ability to compete at a professional level.
Stojsavljevic also made headlines last October when she pushed Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, then ranked inside the top 60, to a third-set tie-break in her WTA main draw debut at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. “I feel my game is ready to play pro tennis,” she said. “I know when I’m playing well I can compete with players at the top level, and that’s what I’m working towards.”
Both players are well-supported as they prepare for the next phase. Former British number one Jeremy Bates coaches Stojsavljevic, a graduate of the LTA’s Loughborough Academy. She is also balancing her studies with A-levels in English literature and politics. Klugman, who has been under the guidance of coach Ben Haran since the age of nine, also receives additional training from fitness coach Jez Green and physio Will Herbert, who also work with world number three Alexander Zverev.
However, not everyone believes there is a rush to leave juniors behind. Former British player Annabel Croft, who won junior Wimbledon at 17, has voiced caution. “I totally get it, but I just hope she doesn’t regret it,” Croft said, recalling how her own junior titles remain some of her proudest moments.
However, with the WTA’s age eligibility rules allowing 16-year-olds to compete in up to 12 professional tournaments per year, along with four extra events for those ranked in the junior top five, opportunities are opening quickly. Both Klugman and Stojsavljevic are expected to be regular faces on tour next season.
Their very different styles also promise to bring variety to British tennis. Stojsavljevic, who names Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic as her idols, is a clean, powerful ball striker. Klugman, meanwhile, describes herself as a player who “does not play like a usual woman,” mixing up rhythm with slice, serve-and-volley play, and a heavy serve. She cites Ash Barty and Emma Navarro as inspirations.
As the two teenagers prepare to make their mark on the WTA Tour, British tennis fans will be watching closely.
