British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic achieved her maiden WTA Tour victory on Wednesday, stunning 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin at the Hong Kong Open. The 17-year-old entered the main draw as a lucky loser only an hour before the match commenced, following the late withdrawal of 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez.
Dramatic Upset in Hong Kong
Ranked 411th in the world, Stojsavljevic overcame a gap of more than 200 ranking places to defeat American opponent Kenin 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Having initially lost in the first qualifying round before her unexpected inclusion, the Londoner adjusted quickly despite having minimal preparation time.
“I only knew an hour before that I was going to be playing. I kind of just went out and swung. We didn’t have much time to prepare,” Stojsavljevic told Sky Sports.
“Obviously, I know she’s a Grand Slam champion so it was never going to be an easy match but I believed in myself and it worked out.”
During the contest, Stojsavljevic built a set and 3-0 lead before Kenin leveled the match by taking the second set. The teenager regrouped in the decider to seal the victory, finishing the match with six aces, six winners, and converting six of her 13 break-point opportunities.
Career Milestones and Tournament Draw
The result continues a strong year for Stojsavljevic, who in 2024 became the first British player since Heather Watson in 2009 to win the US Open girls’ singles title. Earlier in April, she also made her Billie Jean King Cup debut for Great Britain against Australia in Melbourne, defeating Talia Gibson in straight sets.
Stojsavljevic advances to meet Turkey’s Zeynep Sönmez in the second round. A victory in that match would set up a third-round tie against American Claire Liu. Liu reached the third round on Wednesday by defeating British No. 1 Katie Boulter 7-5, 6-4, ending Boulter’s season after Boulter had earlier beaten Viktorija Golubic in straight sets in her opening match. The Hong Kong Open continues through Sunday.
