Klugman Begins Orange Bowl Title Defense with Three-Set Win; IMG Academy Champions Continue Winning Streaks in Plantation; 2025 Australian Open Junior Acceptances
©Colette Lewis 2024--
Plantation FL--
Hannah Klugman was just 14 years old when she captured the Orange Bowl title last December, so it's not surprising that she found herself returning to the Veltri to defend her title, a rarity in junior tennis.
Playing on Court 1, the same court where she captured the title last year with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Tyra Grant, Klugman was in control against 14-year-old qualifier Kristina Liutova, leading 6-4, 3-1. But then her serve stalled and the unforced errors multiplied, with Liutova winning the final five games of the set, sending the match into a third hour before Klugman regained her form to earn 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory.
"It's not an easy first round for sure," said Klugman, who is the No. 4 seed this year, after winning it as the fifth seed in 2023. "I'm happy that in the third set I stuck in it and got back on it. She's obviously a young player as well, it was a pretty tough match for me. First round, coming back here playing on the court I won it on, I think this week is going to be a tough one for me, but it's a last push and I'm happy to be here."
Klugman has a limited number of entries into Pro Circuit events due to her age, but she was able to prepare for her Orange Bowl title defense at the W50 in Tampa last week, using her junior exempt status for entry.
"It was a good level, I got to play Caty McNally," said Klugman, who lost to eventual champion McNally 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals, after beating Orange Bowl top seed Wakana Sonobe of Japan 6-4, 6-4 in the second round. "It was a really good tournament, sets me up for here and helped me keep my WTA ranking ticking over."
Klugman also was looking for high-level junior matches on clay this fall.
"Definitely these tournaments are a really good level," Klugman said. It sets me up for next year, it's good practice for me as well and it's on the clay, so it really helps my game for sure. And it's such a special tournament for me. Last year, some amazing memories and I don't think you can really beat those memories. Of course, the goal is to win it, but we'll see how I get on. Leave it all out there and see how we do."
Klugman, who is looking to be the first repeat champion on the women's side since Vera Zvonereva in 2000-2001, will face Yuliya Perapekhina of Belarus in the second round Wednesday.
Teodora Kostovic of Serbia and Andres Santamarta Roig of Spain had a day off Monday to rest and celebrate their J300 titles in Bradenton, and they both looked ready for another challenge this week with straight-sets victories today. Kostovic defeated Julieta Pareja 6-2, 6-3, repeating her first round US Open Junior victory over the 15-year-old Californian; Santamarta beat Yeonsu Jeong of Korea 6-3, 6-0.
The only seed to lose today was No. 9 Jagger Leach, who was beaten by Matteo Morazzi of Spain 6-4, 6-4.
The Bradenton J300 finalists both advanced, but not without a struggle, with top seed Maxim Mrva defeating qualifier Stefan Haita of Romania 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-3 and No. 8 seed Tereza Krejcova squeezing past 2023 Orange Bowl 16s champion Leena Friedman 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4). Friedman was two points from the match with Krejcova serving at 4-5 15-30 in the third set, but Krejcova came through with big backhands and forehands to take the next three points, then came up with four clean winners in the tiebreaker to earn the win.
The boys 2023 Orange Bowl 16s champion, Dominick Mosejczuk, lost to No. 3 seed Jan Kumstat of the Czech Republic 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The two IMG Academy 16s champions also continued their runs, with top seed Hanne Estrada of Mexico reaching the third round with a 6-3, 7-5 win over qualifier Alina Vysochenko of Ukraine, and No. 2 seed Jordan Lee beating Gabriel Jessup 6-2, 6-1. Top seed Zavier Augustin reached the third round when Anthony Dry retired trailing 5-3 in the first set.
After two warm and sunny days, there is a chance of rain Wednesday, so play will start at 8 a.m. with all 16 third round matches in the 16s. The second round of 18s singles and doubles, as well as the quarterfinals in 16s doubles will follow.
The order of play and draws can be found here:
Live scoring can be found here:
The acceptances for next month's 2025 Australian Open Junior Championships were published today, with eight US girls and eight US boys receiving direct entry. Iva Jovic is among them; she will be playing the main draw of the Australian Open as the winner of the USTA AO Wild Card race, so it makes sense to keep the junior option open while she's there. ITF No. 1 Emerson Jones of Australia is also likely to receive a women's main draw wild card, so the 2024 AO girls finalist may also be in the junior draw.
Maxim Mrva has entered, but he told me last week in Bradenton that he was not playing Australia this year. Federico Cina of Italy who, like Mrva, has another year of ITF junior eligibility in 2025 appears to have left the junior ranks, as he hasn't played a junior event since Wimbledon and is not entered. Wimbledon finalist Mees Rottgering of the Netherlands is also not on the entry list. Tyra Grant is unlikely to play any more junior events, and is not entered in Australia.
Americans accepted for entry into the Australian Open Junior Championship main draw:
Iva Jovic
Kristina Penickova
Kaitlyn Rolls
Thea Frodin
Maya Iyengar
Annika Penickova
Aspen Schuman
Shannon Lam
Jagger Leach
Jack Kennedy
Maxwell Exsted
Benjamin Willwerth
Dominick Mosejczuk
Noah Johnston
Matisse Farzam
Maximus Dussault
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