Briton Hannah Klugman’s historic French Open run ends with defeat in juniors ultimate

Hannah Klugman’s good run on the French Open got here to an finish with defeat within the women’ singles ultimate, as Austria’s Lilli Tagger secured the junior title.

16-year-old Klugman, a former women’ doubles runner-up in Wimbledon in 2023 and the Australian Open in January, was enjoying in her maiden grand slam singles ultimate.

She was aiming to grow to be the primary British participant since Michelle Tyler in 1976 to seal a junior title at Roland-Garros.

However regardless of a wonderful run on an unfamiliar floor, together with combating again from a set down in each her quarter- and semi-final, Klugman had no reply to Tagger and misplaced 6-2, 6-0 earlier on Saturday.

An emotional Klugman, who shot to prominence because the winner of the distinguished Orange Bowl junior event aged 14, stated, “It has been a protracted week however I am actually pleased with myself.”

Klugman had possibilities to interrupt within the opening and seventh video games of the primary set, however couldn’t capitalise on her alternatives and dropped serve within the fourth sport.

Her 17-year-old opponent imposed herself from the baseline and an early break within the second set proved essential as Klugman’s stage dropped. She double faulted on break level right down to concede one other break for 4-0, with the Austrian – the junior world No. 47 in comparison with Klugman’s rating of thirteenth – working away with the set to seal the title.

Wimbledon-born Klugman is certainly one of Britain’s most promising juniors, and excelled in Paris regardless of having had had little expertise on clay till a two-month stint training on the floor earlier this yr, together with a spell on the Rafael Nadal Academy.

She advised BBC Sport that assembly the 14-time French Open champion had spurred her on. “He is my idol – I really like Rafa. He stated some wonderful issues to me,” she stated.

“I struggled a bit final yr and he stated ‘as quickly as you have obtained the extent, every little thing will come. So simply belief it and work arduous on daily basis’.”