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Serbia has struggled to supply WTA champions after Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. That may simply change within the upcoming years, with the 14-year-old Luna Vujovic making a reputation for herself. Luna claimed the U14 crown at Wimbledon final summer time, adopted by six singles wins in Prostejov on the ITF World Junior Tennis occasion.
After three ITF junior occasions in Cairo and Vrsar in the beginning of 2024, Vujovic made her skilled debut at this week’s W15 Antalya occasion. Luna certified for the principle draw and defeated two rivals en path to the quarter-final, making a reputation for herself and presenting her wealthy expertise.
Luna kicked off the event with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Gozde Turhan within the first qualifying spherical.
The 14-year-old confronted Lisa Gruber within the second spherical and performed effectively once more, shifting into the following spherical with a 6-4, 6-3 victory in an hour and 14 minutes.
Vujovic served at 42%, and each gamers struggled to search out the tempo behind the preliminary shot. The younger Serb defended her second serve extra effectively and turned 68% of the return factors into 9 breaks from 12 possibilities. Luna misplaced serve six occasions however did sufficient to manage the scoreboard and transfer nearer to the principle draw.
Vujovic grabbed a break within the first sport of the match and held at love within the subsequent one for 2-0. The 14-year-old broke at love within the third sport, settling right into a high quality rhythm. Vujovic hit two double faults within the fourth sport, dropping serve and bringing her opponent to the scoreboard.
Luna bought damaged once more within the sixth sport earlier than securing one other return sport within the subsequent one, opening a 4-3 benefit. Gruber pulled the break again within the eighth sport, locking the consequence at 4-4. The 14-year-old stepped in and clinched the ultimate two video games in model, holding at 15 in sport 9 and breaking her rival at 15 a couple of minutes later for 6-4.
The Austrian hit back-to-back double faults within the first sport of the second set, dropping serve at love. Luna held after deuces in sport two and grabbed one other break within the subsequent one, rattling off 5 video games and shifting nearer to the end line.
Lisa seized the third break level within the fourth sport, lowering the deficit earlier than losing a sport level in sport 5, experiencing the fourth straight break and falling 4-1 behind.
14-year-old Luna Vujovic is having fun with a formidable begin of a professional profession.
Vujovic bought damaged within the sixth sport, though it didn’t price her a lot following her fifth straight break within the seventh sport, shifting 5-2 in entrance and serving for the victory.
Luna couldn’t maintain in sport eight, conserving her rival in competition earlier than shifting excessive together with her sixth consecutive break in sport 9. Vujovic confronted the highest seed Mavie Osterreicher and received 6-1, 6-1 within the last qualifying spherical, racing excessive in 63 minutes and coming into her first skilled primary draw at 14!
Luna performed her first skilled main-draw match in opposition to the rival she beat a day earlier than, with Mavie coming into the charts as a fortunate loser. The 14-year-old needed to dig deep for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 triumph, notching her milestone win and shifting into the second spherical after two hours.
The Serb claimed seven factors greater than her opponent, dropping serve 5 occasions and securing six breaks from 13 alternatives. Vujovic saved a break level within the first sport of the match earlier than dropping serve at 1-1.
She pulled it again within the subsequent one and supplied a cushty maintain in sport 5 for 3-2. Osterreicher squandered a sport level in sport six and hit a double fault to lose serve and push the younger gun 4-2 in entrance. Luna closed the seventh sport at love with an ace and created two set factors on the return within the subsequent one.
Mavie denied them, lowering the deficit to 5-3 earlier than Luna held at 30 in sport 9 for 6-3. They traded breaks in the beginning of the second set earlier than Vujovic grabbed one other at 2-2. The teen hit three double faults within the sixth sport, permitting her rival to clinch a break and stage the rating at 3-3.
The Austrian broke once more within the eighth sport and held within the subsequent one, rattling off 4 video games and taking the set 6-3. Luna made a contemporary begin within the decider, taking 17 of the opening 23 factors and securing a double break for a large 4-0 lead.
Osterreicher diminished the deficit to 4-2 earlier than Vujovic fired an ace in sport seven for a maintain at 15 and 5-2. The younger Serb served for the win at 5-3 and landed one other ace, sealing the deal and celebrating his first skilled win in the principle attracts.
Not stopping there, Luna defeated Diana Demidova 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in an hour and 29 minutes, reserving a spot in her first skilled quarter-final.
Vujovic delivered extra environment friendly numbers behind the primary and second serve, struggling 4 breaks and responding with seven return video games on her tally, taking 60% of the return factors and shining in units one and three.
Luna misplaced serve within the first sport of the match and trailed 40-0 within the second. The younger Serb recovered rapidly, pulling the break again and leveling the rating at 1-1. Vujovic took cost within the remaining 5 video games, dominating on serve and return and dropping solely seven factors en path to 6-1.
Demidova sprayed two double faults within the first sport of the second set, dropping serve and lengthening a horrible streak. Nevertheless, she pulled the break again right away and raised her stage from 2-2, clinching the remaining video games and profitable the set 6-2 to pressure a decider.
Vujovic made a contemporary begin and recovered her A-game, dropping a few factors behind the preliminary shot and conserving the stress on the opposite facet. Demidova couldn’t endure it, getting damaged thrice and permitting Vujovic to emerge on the prime in model following her first skilled bagel.
