No one feels more at home at Wimbledon than the 15-year-old Hannah Klugman. The young Briton grew up playing tennis at a club a mile away from Centre Court. Also, Hannah lives at Wimbledon and trains at the National Tennis Centre, nearby the Wimbledon qualifying courts in Roehampton.
Klugman received a qualifying wild card for the home Major and used it nicely at familiar courts, scoring two wins before falling on the last step. Hannah kicked off the action against the young Croat Petra Marcinko, scoring a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory in 55 minutes.
They hit 14 double faults and struggled behind the second serve big time. However, Klugman dominated with her first serve, getting broken two times from six chances offered to her opponent and keeping the pressure on the other side.
The home player grabbed 63% of the return points and turned them into six return games from nine opportunities.
Hannah broke at love in the third game of the encounter and held at 30 in the next one for 3-1.
Marcinko lost serve in games five and seven, falling 5-2 behind before Klugman wrapped up the opener on her serve in game eight. The young Briton extended her return run, stealing the rival's serve two times at the beginning of the second set and building a massive advantage.
Hannah rattled off the final three games of the match to sail into the second qualifying round. Klugman faced Linda Fruhvirtova and notched a 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 win in an hour and 48 minutes, entering the final qualifying round.
Both players struggled behind the initial shot and delivered six breaks from nine chances. Fruhvirtova earned a bagel in the second set but could not use that momentum, getting broken three consecutive times in the decider and propelling a teenager through.
Hannah Klugman won two matches in the Wimbledon qualifications.
Hannah made a reliable start against the opponent with a weak serve, earning three breaks in a row and taking the opener 6-2.
The tables turned in the second set, with Linda serving well and pressuring Hannah. The young Briton could not endure it, experiencing a bagel and losing ground ahead of the decider. They produced four fine holds at the beginning of the final set before embracing five consecutive breaks!
Hannah notched three, opening a 5-4 advantage and holding in game ten for another notable victory. The 15-year-old failed to reach the main draw, though, suffering a 6-3, 6-3 loss to the American Alycia Parks in 70 minutes.
The more experienced player played better behind the first and second serve, getting broken two times and turning 53% of the return points into five breaks. They traded breaks at the start of the match before Alycia shifted into a higher gear.
The American served well and built the advantage with a break in game six. Parks wrapped up the opener with a hold in game nine and used that boost for a double break early in the second set.
Hannah pulled one break back in game eight to prolong the battle before getting broken at love at 3-5, ending her campaign in the third round. Klugman left the defeat behind and entered the J300 Roehampton event, standing as one of the favorites at the upcoming junior Wimbledon.
Hannah has already gathered professional experience, reaching three quarter-finals and writing history last October. The 14-year-old received a wild card for the W100 Shrewsbury event and passed two qualifying rounds to enter the main draw.
Thus, Klugman became the youngest qualifier at the W100 tournament, taking the record away from Coco Gauff at 14 years and eight months. Hannah faced Aneta Laboutkova in the first qualifying round, scoring a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win in 57 minutes.
The young Briton landed in 80% of the first serve and had the upper hand on serve and return. Hannah lost only nine points in her games and faced no break points.
Laboutkova felt the pressure and cracked under it, losing over half of the points behind the initial shot and suffering four breaks from seven opportunities offered to the young gun. Klugman made a reliable start and forged a 3-0 lead with a break in game two.
Aneta saved a break point in the fourth game before Hannah fired two aces in the next one, holding from 0-30 and moving 5-2 in front. Klugman secured another break in game eight, closing the set and gaining a boost. The Briton played even better in the second set, delivering a double break and moving over the top with a hold in game seven.
Hannah played against Pemra Ozgen in the final qualifying round and celebrated a 6-4, 6-3 victory in an hour and 37 minutes, sailing into the main draw and writing history books.
The 14-year-old showed incredible clutch, saving nine out of 11 break points and shining on the return.
Hannah generated four breaks from half of the return points, doing enough to seal the deal in straight sets. Klugman forged a 3-1 lead in the first set and saved four break points in the next one to cement it. The young gun lost serve while serving for the set in game seven, keeping her rival in contention and experiencing another painful break at 3-5.
Hannah stayed focused and grabbed a break at love in game ten, claiming the opener and delivering a crucial break at 4-3 in set number two. Klugman held in game nine, wrapping up the win and advancing into the main draw at 14 years and eight months.
