Slovenian tennis player Kaja Juvan has successfully navigated the qualifying rounds to secure a spot in the main draw of the WTA 250 tournament in Guangzhou, China.
The world number 106 began her campaign with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over China’s Anna Yang. In the final qualifying round, she faced Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch (WTA 144) for the first time, overcoming her opponent in a tense three-set battle.
Juvan started the match strong, breaking the German’s serve three times to convincingly take the first set 6-2. Korpatsch mounted a comeback in the second set, securing a crucial break of her own to lead 3-1. With no further break point opportunities for either player, the German closed out the set 6-3 to level the match.
The final set was a series of momentum shifts. Korpatsch broke early for a 1-0 lead, but Juvan immediately responded by winning three consecutive games to pull ahead 3-1. The pivotal moment came with the score tied at 4-4, when Juvan found herself facing three break points at 0-40 on her own serve. She demonstrated remarkable composure, saving all three to hold serve and take a 5-4 lead. Juvan ultimately sealed her victory by breaking Korpatsch to win the decider 7-5.
With the win, Juvan joins fellow Slovenian Veronika Erjavec in the main draw. Erjavec, ranked 105th, has also advanced to the second round after a significant first-round victory. She defeated the tournament’s third seed, Tatjana Maria of Germany, in a hard-fought match, winning 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.
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