Serbia has struggled to produce WTA champions after Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. That can easily change in the upcoming years, with the 14-year-old Luna Vujovic making a name for herself. Luna claimed the U14 crown at Wimbledon last summer, followed by six singles wins in Prostejov at the ITF World Junior Tennis event. After three ITF junior events in Cairo and Vrsar at the beginning of 2024, Vujovic made her professional debut at this week’s W15 Antalya event. Luna qualified for the main draw and defeated two rivals en route to the quarter-final, making a name for herself and presenting her rich talent. Luna kicked off the tournament with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Gozde Turhan in the first qualifying round.
Luna Vujovic© Stream screenshot
The 14-year-old faced Lisa Gruber in the second round and played well again, moving into the next round with a 6-4, 6-3 victory in an hour and 14 minutes. Vujovic served at 42%, and both players struggled to find the pace behind the initial shot. The young Serb defended her second serve more efficiently and turned 68% of the return points into nine breaks from 12 chances. Luna lost serve six times but did enough to control the scoreboard and move closer to the main draw. Vujovic grabbed a break in the first game of the match and held at love in the next one for 2-0. The 14-year-old broke at love in the third game, settling into a fine rhythm. Vujovic hit two double faults in the fourth game, losing serve and bringing her opponent to the scoreboard.
Luna got broken again in the sixth game before securing another return game in the next one, opening a 4-3 advantage. Gruber pulled the break back in the eighth game, locking the result at 4-4. The 14-year-old stepped in and clinched the final two games in style, holding at 15 in game nine and breaking her rival at 15 a few minutes later for 6-4. The Austrian hit back-to-back double faults in the first game of the second set, losing serve at love. Luna held after deuces in game two and grabbed another break in the next one, rattling off five games and moving closer to the finish line. Lisa seized the third break point in the fourth game, reducing the deficit before wasting a game point in game five, experiencing the fourth straight break and falling 4-1 behind.
Luna Vujovic© Stream screenshot
14-year-old Luna Vujovic is enjoying an impressive start of a pro career.
Vujovic got broken in the sixth game, although it did not cost her much following her fifth straight break in the seventh game, moving 5-2 in front and serving for the victory. Luna could not hold in game eight, keeping her rival in contention before moving over the top with her sixth consecutive break in game nine. Vujovic faced the top seed Mavie Osterreicher and won 6-1, 6-1 in the final qualifying round, racing over the top in 63 minutes and entering her first professional main draw at 14! Luna played her first professional main-draw match against the rival she beat a day before, with Mavie entering the charts as a lucky loser. The 14-year-old had to dig deep for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 triumph, notching her milestone win and moving into the second round after two hours.
Luna Vujovic, U14 Wimbledon 2023© Patrick Smith / Staff – Getty Images Sport
The Serb claimed seven points more than her opponent, losing serve five times and securing six breaks from 13 opportunities. Vujovic saved a break point in the first game of the match before losing serve at 1-1. She pulled it back in the next one and provided a comfortable hold in game five for 3-2. Osterreicher squandered a game point in game six and hit a double fault to lose serve and push the young gun 4-2 in front. Luna closed the seventh game at love with an ace and created two set points on the return in the next one. Mavie denied them, reducing the deficit to 5-3 before Luna held at 30 in game nine for 6-3. They traded breaks at the beginning of the second set before Vujovic grabbed another at 2-2.
The youngster hit three double faults in the sixth game, allowing her rival to clinch a break and level the score at 3-3. The Austrian broke again in the eighth game and held in the next one, rattling off four games and taking the set 6-3. Luna made a fresh start in the decider, taking 17 of the opening 23 points and securing a double break for a massive 4-0 lead. Osterreicher reduced the deficit to 4-2 before Vujovic fired an ace in game seven for a hold at 15 and 5-2. The young Serb served for the win at 5-3 and landed another ace, sealing the deal and celebrating his first professional win in the main draws. Not stopping there, Luna defeated Diana Demidova 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in an hour and 29 minutes, booking a place in her first professional quarter-final.
Luna Vujovic, U14 Wimbledon 2023© Patrick Smith / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Vujovic delivered more efficient numbers behind the first and second serve, suffering four breaks and responding with seven return games on her tally, taking 60% of the return points and shining in sets one and three. Luna lost serve in the first game of the match and trailed 40-0 in the second. The young Serb recovered quickly, pulling the break back and leveling the score at 1-1. Vujovic took charge in the remaining five games, dominating on serve and return and dropping only seven points en route to 6-1. Demidova sprayed two double faults in the first game of the second set, losing serve and extending a terrible streak. However, she pulled the break back straight away and raised her level from 2-2, clinching the remaining games and winning the set 6-2 to force a decider. Vujovic made a fresh start and recovered her A-game, dropping a couple of points behind the initial shot and keeping the pressure on the other side. Demidova could not endure it, getting broken three times and allowing Vujovic to emerge at the top in style following her first professional bagel.
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