British Junior, 16, reaches the French Open Final for the first time in 49 years after helping Jack Draper’s hand

Hannah Klugman became the first British junior finalist at the French open In almost 50 years – partly thanks to a lunch meeting with Jack Draper.

The 16-year-old of Wimbledon Beat Bulgaria’s Rositsa Dencheva, her senior with two years, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 and plays on Saturday in her first Junior Grand Slam final against the Austrian Lilli Tagger.

The last British junior who disputed a singles final here was Michelle Tyler, who won the title in 1976.

Klugman has long been marked for success, her name in British tennis circles since her pre-ten years. But last season there was a struggle and her coach Ben Haran thought that a chat with the British No1 could help.

“I struggled a bit,” said Klugman, the Junior World No6, of her season 2024, “I worked so hard and I felt that I was getting better, but I didn’t see any results.

‘My coach knows Jack pretty well, so he set up a lunch for me.

Hannah Klugman became the first British junior finalist at the French Open in almost 50 years

The last British junior who disputed a singles final here was Michelle Tyler, who won in 1976

The 16-year-old from Wimbledon defeated Bulgaria’s Rositsa Dencheva, her senior in two years

‘Jack opened my perspective that everyone is going through these problems – you don’t realize it, but they are.

‘Take a step back, take the time and realize that it is good. You work hard and it will come.

“His big thing is consistency: every day that works hard with the right mentality and things will come, it’s just a matter of time.”

There are now things for Klugman, and it is a reward for what hard work learns to keep the various challenges of Clay Court Tennis.

“It’s just a mentality thing. It’s different. Every point is a routine, you have to be ready and I think accepting that the key is.

‘Me and my coach said that we do two months on clay, make my tennis better, my mentality better.

‘I have improved enormously by going into the clay. I think it really helped me. ‘

Klugman had a meeting with the British No1 Jack Draper before he reached the final at Roland Garros

Klugman has been marked for success for years, her name in British tennis circles for years

Part of that Clay Court block was spent at the Rafael Nadal Academy – where Klugman met the big man himself. She is a competition from joining the Spaniard as a Roland Garros champion.

“We had an absolutely tough match three weeks ago,” said Klugman of her opponent Tagger, who defeated her in Terrassa, Catalonia.

‘These moments don’t happen much, so try to enjoy it is a large part.

“My coach and physio say in principle go outside and enjoy it, because you may never be on the spot again.”