A British teenager has become the first tennis player from the UK to win a US Open junior title in 15 years.
Mika Stojsavljevic, 15, beat her Japanese opponent Wakana Sonobe 6-4 6-4 to lift the championship cup in New York on Saturday.
Stojsavljevic’s victory came 24 hours after Jack Draper’s semi-final defeat to world number one Jannik Skinner in the men’s draw.
The last British person to win the girl’s title at the US Open was Heather Watson in 2009, while Andy Murray won the boy’s title in 2004.
Stojsavljevic during the final in New York. Pic: AP
Stojsavljevic followed up her impressive semi-final display, where she ousted Iva Jovic – the 16-year-old American who made it to the second round of the main women’s draw – with another assured performance in the final.
She said afterwards: “I really want to go to the Rockefeller Center and see it from the top. And then also go to Chipotle or something. I love it.
“I’m super, super happy and grateful to my coaches for this week and my family supporting me back home.
“It was quite nerve-wracking, I had to trust my serve and treat it like any game.
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Stojsavljevic with Wakana Sonobe after their US Open final clash. Pic: AP
“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.”
British teenagers Mingge Xu and Charlie Robertson were defeated in the semi-finals of the girls and boys categories respectively.