Super talented Czech Jana Kovackova turns 15 in June. She is already in the top-15 of the junior ranking list, chasing big dreams in 2025. Jana is last year's U14 Wimbledon champion and the winner of eight ITF titles.
Kovackova wasted no time in showing her skills on the professional circuit. The 14-year-old debuted on the pro level at the W15Sharm el Sheikh event, using her junior ranking to enter the main draw. Jana scored four victories and became the first player born in 2010 in a pro final!
Kovackova stood a point away from lifting a pro trophy at such a young age, wasting a match point againstIsabella Shinikova and finishing runner-up.
Jana played her first professional match againstAyumi Miyamoto and won 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. The young gun turned the tables in the second set and dominated the decider for a place in the second round. The Czech met another Japanese rival while battling for the quarter-final.
Kovackova ousted Kisa Yoshioka 6-1, 6-3 and continued her campaign. Gaining confidence, Jana toppledEkaterina Perelygina 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 19 minutes and found herself in the semi-final. The 14-year-old seized five of six break points, controlling the scoreboard and sailing through.
Kovackova facedTamara Kostic in the semi-final and earned a 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 triumph in an hour and 33 minutes. Kostic made a reliable start before a teenager found her strokes in the second set. Jana claimed 12 of the final 15 games and moved over the top with a bagel in the decider.
Thus, the 14-year-old reached the final at her first professional tournament! Kovackova played Bulgaria'sIsabella Shinikova and experienced a tight 3-6, 6-0 7-6 loss after wasting a match point! Jana earned ten break chances and converted four while dropping serve five times.
Kovackova served well in the opener and clinched four straight games from 2-3 to move closer to the title.Shinikova responded in the second set and provided a bagel to force a decider. Jana squandered two break points in the second game and suffered a break in the next one.
The Bulgarian held at love two times and forged a 4-2 advantage. Kovackova pulled the break back in the eighth game and locked the result at 4-4.Isabella stepped in on the return and converted the second break point to open a 6-5 advantage and serve for the title.
Jana Kovackova Stream screenshot
The Czech stayed focused and broke back in game 12 to keep her chances alive.Shinikova clinched three mini-breaks for 4-1 before dropping two points on serve. Jana suffered two more mini-breaks and faced three match points at 3-6.
The Bulgarian wasted the first with a double fault and missed the second to keep the young gun alive. Kovackova claimed two points on serve and created a match point at 8-7. Isabella denied it and clinched three straight points, stealing the breaker 9-7 and winning the title.
