Brit tennis sensation Hannah Klugman becomes first Brit female since Sue Barker 49 years ago to reach French Open final
SHOCKED Hannah Klugman will attempt to win a maiden Grand Slam on Saturday… aged 16.
The Kingston-upon-Thames schoolgirl is the first British player to reach the French Open juniors final in almost 50 years.
The 16-year-old battled through the semi-finals with a gritty 1-6 6-3 6-3 win over Bulgarian Rositsa Dencheva.
Michelle Tyler, now 66, claimed the girls’ title in Paris in 1976, the same year Sue Barker won the women’s senior event.
Klugman will face Austrian Lilli Tagger, 17, in Saturday’s final and she said: “I’m just a bit shocked to be honest.
“I wasn’t playing my best and I found it tough to get myself into the match.
“I felt like as soon as I did that I was in a good space and I thought I could do well if I got into the match.
“I think I’ve been mentally very good this week.
“I think I’m staying calm in big moments and also just trying to take it in.
“These moments don’t happen a lot, so trying to enjoy it is a big part.
“My coach and physio are basically saying: ‘Go out there and enjoy it.’ Because you never know if you’ll be in the spot again.”
Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski reached the final of the men’s doubles as they beat Americans Christian Harrison and Evan King 6-7 6-3 7-6 in a deciding-set tie-break.
They will meet Spaniard Marcel Granollers and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos for the Championship but the last British winners on this trophy were Fred Perry and Pat Hughes in 1933.
Alfie Hewett beat Argentine Gustavo Fernández 6-4 4-6 7-6 to reach the wheelchair singles final – where he plays No.1 seed Tokito Oda – and he is trying to win a fourth title, a first since 2021.