Mika Stojsavljevic, 17, claims first WTA Tour win
British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic claimed her first WTA Tour main-draw win by defeating Sofia Kenin at the Hong Kong Open with just an hour's notice.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Seventeen-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic secured her first-ever WTA Tour main-draw victory.
- She received only an hour's notice before stepping onto the court for the match.
- The world number 411 defeated former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
British tennis teenager Mika Stojsavljevic has made headlines by claiming her first-ever WTA Tour main-draw victory, overcoming a lack of preparation time to pull off a stunning win at the Hong Kong Open.
Stojsavljevic had originally lost in the qualifying rounds of the tournament in Hong Kong but earned a spot in the main draw as a lucky loser. Capitalizing on the unexpected opportunity, the 17-year-old faced off against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, who sits 224 places above her at world number 187, while the Briton is ranked 411th.
The hard-fought encounter went down to the wire in a tense deciding set, with Stojsavljevic ultimately prevailing 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 over the 27-year-old American. With this victory, the young Briton advances to the second round where she will meet world number 67 Zeynep Sonmez.
"I only knew an hour before I was going to be playing. I kind of just went out and swung today,"
Mika Stojsavljevic
During the match, Stojsavljevic hit six winners and successfully saved three of the eight break points she faced. This milestone marks her second major victory of the year, following her stunning win against then-world number 56 Talia Gibson during the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers in April.
Mika Stojsavljevic's breakthrough run highlights the rapid development of rising British tennis talents. Following her historic junior US Open title win in 2024 and turning professional in 2025, defeating a major champion like Sofia Kenin provides vital momentum for her transition to the senior tour, building crucial experience for future high-level competitions.
Stojsavljevic first picked up a tennis racket at the age of seven at Ealing Lawn Tennis Club in north-west London after watching her brother practice. Her impressive junior career saw her reach a high of fifth in the world rankings before transitioning to the professional circuit in 2025, which included reaching the quarter-finals of a WTA 125 event in Birmingham earlier this year.
Source: BBC Sport
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