Loughborough’s Stojsavljevic wins US Open junior title

Posted by Admin September 9, 2024 Tennis

Loughborough’s Stojsavljevic holds the US Open junior championship trophy aloft. Image provided by Getty Images/ Sport / Luke Hales.

Loughborough’s Stojsavljevic wins US Open junior title
9 September 2024

Teenager Mika Stojsavljevic became the first Briton in 15 years to win the US Open Girls’ title after a dominant 6-4 6-4 victory over Wakana Sonobe in New York.

Stojsavljevic – who is part of the Loughborough University National Tennis Academy (LUNTA) – powered past her opponent to claim a stunning maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows.

The 15-year-old Londoner produced a performance that showed maturity beyond her years to dispatch Japan’s Sonobe in straight sets.

A euphoric Stojsavljevic sank to her knees after being confirmed champion. Her name will now be etched into the US Open history books alongside previous winners Lindsay Davenport, Marion Bartoli, and Victoria Azarenka.

The last British person to win the Girls’ title at the US Open was Heather Watson in 2009.

“I’m super happy and super grateful,” Stojsavljevic said.

“Thank you to my family for supporting me back home and to the crowd here; you’ve been great.

“It was quite nerve-wracking, I had to trust my serve and treat it like any game. I like fighting, it’s so fun to compete and play every match. When you win it’s such a great feeling.

“I feel I have handled myself pretty well. I had some tough matches. I lost the first set in the first round but stayed as strong mentally as possible.”

a girl holding her head in her hands in disbelief

Image provided by Getty Images/ Sport / Luke Hales.

Elsewhere, LUNTA graduate Mingge Xu was edged out at the semi-final stage by eventual finalist Sonobe, 6-4 6-4.

Stojsavljevic’s victory is LUNTA’s second major title in just over 12 months following Henry Searle’s Boys’ title at Wimbledon in 2023.

For more information on the LUNTA, visit its dedicated website here: www.lboro.ac.uk/sport/sports/tennis/national-tennis-academy/welcome/

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 24/160

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme and named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2024 QS World University Rankings – the eighth year running.

Loughborough is ranked 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2025, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2024 and 10th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen’s Anniversary Prizes.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.