Hannah Klugman keeps the British flag flying at the US Open, as the 14-year-old schoolgirl overcomes extreme temperatures to cruise into the quarter-finals of the Girls’ Singles
- Hannah Klugman booked her place in the quarter-finals of the US Open
- She beat Japanese third seed Sakaya Ishii in straight sets at Flushing Meadows
- The match was played in extreme temperatures but Klugman kept her cool
The last British singles player standing at Flushing Meadows is a 14-year-old Wimbledon schoolgirl, who on Wednesday braved extreme temperatures to make the quarter-finals of the junior US Open.
In steaming heat and humidity Hannah Klugman knocked out the number three seed, 18 year-old Sakaya Ishii of Japan, 6-4 6-1 with a performance of remarkable composure.
While there can be a danger of overstating the potential of one so young, it is increasingly difficult to ignore the promise of someone already being talked about by the game’s congnoscenti.
Klugman was beaten by the same player in the third round of Wimbledon this summer, but appears to have progressed since. Her mature court craft was evident against an opponent with plenty of experience on the lower tiers of the professional circuit.
This week’s conditions in New York simply do not exist in SW19: ‘I’ve only played a few times in this heat, I did a practice week in Miami the week before so that definitely got me prepared because it was so hot out there,’ said the poised Klugman, on the cusp of making a wider name for herself. ‘I’m still a bit under radar, after Wimbledon I got recognised a little bit. It’s a bit weird, my friends find it really weird.
‘Wimbledon is a bit more chaotic for me because I know a lot of people there, there’s more pressure for me, I want to do well because I live there. It’s a bit different here but I still love it.’
Coached by Ben Haran at Reed’s School, his base in Cobham, she is three wins away from returning for the winter term with a junior Grand Slam title in the bag.
‘I still go to Wimbledon High School, I want to stay there as long as I can, it’s nice to have friends outside tennis,’ added Klugman. ‘ It’s getting quite tough now but I will try and stay as long as possible. I take my computer away with me and stay in touch with my teachers.
’ I want to get my GCSEs at school for sure but that’s so far ahead. I don’t really want to go on to college but we will see how it goes, for now I want to go professional.’
