Emma Raducanu ‘inspiration’ and world No. 1 aims – Hannah Klugman continues rise with Orange Bowl win

The Orange Bowl is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the junior calendar, with previous winners including Chris Evert, Caroline Wozniacki, Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, and Coco Gauff.

Klugman, who doesn’t turn 15 until next February, beat sixth seed Tyra Grant in straight sets in the final.

Why is there such excitement around Klugman’s potential? And what’s next for the 14-year-old?

In 2022, Klugman just missed out on the U14 title at the Orange Bowl, losing in the final as the top seed. This time around she lifted the U18 title, beating six players older than her, including top seed Laura Samsonova in the quarter-finals.

“I was really gutted not to get the win there. But obviously to get the win in 18s now, at just 14, it’s great.”

Klugman, whose strong serve stands out at such a young age, has been one of the top junior prospects in the UK for several years.

Earlier this year she won the 16U Girls’ Singles title at the LTA Junior National Championships, and in 2022 she made the final of the prestigious U14 junior tournament Les Petits As Mondial Lacoste as a 12-year-old.

Klugman is part of the Lawn Tennis Association’s Men’s & Women’s Programme and is coached by Ben Haran, who has previously worked with Jack Draper and Dan Evans.

Two years ago at the Orange Bowl she outlined her ambitions to reach the very top of the game.

She also revealed that she spoke with Emma Raducanu following her shock US Open win.

“I told her, ‘well done’ and what an inspiration she is for me,” said Klugman.

Klugman did something Raducanu or no other Brit has previously achieved by winning the Orange Bowl title. Andy Murray is a former champion in the U12 division in 1999.

“It’s an amazing feeling to win” Klugman said.

“To get the win in the Under-18s when I’m still just 14 is incredible. It is part of the journey but it is nice to have these little wins along the way.

“I was walking past the poster with all the great players there. It’s good that I can now be on that board among all those great players. It doesn’t mean anything in the big picture but hopefully I can make it.”

Klugman is set to move inside the top 10 of the junior rankings following her Orange Bowl win.

She is set to compete in Australia for the first time in January and will likely also have more opportunities to play at third-tier ITF events next season. She will continue to balance that with studying at Wimbledon High School.

Klugman has been working with Haran since 2019, and he can see the improvements she has made this season.

“She’s worked on her game, taken on board the areas she needs to improve, she’s gotten stronger, physically better. And I think mentally, the last six months, she’s showed a lot of improvement, resilience, a lot of fighting qualities.

“She adapts very well to the levels. She plays a level and goes up a level and she adapts her game very well to that level.”

It’s impossible to predict what the future will hold for Klugman and what will happen in the next few years.

She might follow Gauff and Mirra Andreeva (current world No. 57 at the age 16) in making a splash on the WTA Tour as a youngster. Or she might take more time to develop and hone her game.

For now, her sights are on success at the junior Grand Slams in 2024.

“I’m starting to delve deeper into the junior Grand Slams, my game is also developing,” she said.

“Last year, I had a bit more trouble with the junior Grand Slams – it was quite a lot for me. I was still quite young, but now I have a handle on it and hopefully I can go far.”