Mika Stojsavljevic & Oliver Bonding win 2025 18U Lexus Junior National Championships titles
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Middlesex’s Mika Stojsavljevic and Surrey’s Oliver Bonding have been crowned singles champions at the 2025 18U Lexus Junior National Championships tournament after two high-quality finals at the LTA's National Tennis Centre.
As well as the title of Junior Nationals champion, Stojsavljevic and Bonding will receive wild cards into the Qualifying event of The Championships, Wimbledon, as well as a wild card into the main draw of The Junior Championships, Wimbledon.
The runners-up will also receive a wild card into the main draw of The Junior Championships, Wimbledon.
In front of an enthusiastic crowd at the National Tennis Centre, 2024 US Open Junior Champion and top seed Stojsavljevic overcame No.2 seed Hannah Klugman from Surrey as she battled back from a set down to seal a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory in a compelling match that lasted two hours and seven minutes.
Klugman, who is supported by the LTA’s Pro Scholarship Programmme, served for the match at 5-4 in the deciding set, but Stojsavljevic fought back to secure victory and claim the 18U Junior Nationals title for the first time in her career.
“It was a great match and I always see pressure as a privilege,” said Stojsavljevic, who has spent the last few years training with the LTA National Academy in Loughborough.
“I really enjoy dealing with the nerves. It helps me to play better. It is the first time I have beaten Hannah, so I’m very happy to get that win.
“It was great to have a crowd here today and you could see that everyone who came down really appreciates tennis. It really lifted the whole energy of the event.”
Katie O'Brien, LTA Women's National Coach, said: “What a great final. It lived up to expectations again. Mika and Hannah are world-class Juniors and we need to appreciate just how good they are, not just as players but also as competitors.
“You can see how much they have matured and they both handled themselves so well in this Final. Both Mika and Hannah would have wanted to win, but they are both looking at the bigger picture as they have huge ambitions for what is to come. They are going to raise each other's level every time they compete against each other.”
In the Boys’ final, 2024 18U champion Bonding from Surrey emerged victorious again as he beat Kent’s Benjamin Gusic Wan 6-2, 6-3, with his powerful serve proving to be a potent weapon on the click courts at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre.
Bonding is supported by the LTA Pro Transition Programme – providing a range of support options to 16-22 year-old players to facilitate a full-time coaching programme, optimise their competition programme, and development of physical readiness for tour level tennis.
He won his first professional singles title at the M15 Lannion in France in February and was satisfied with his performance as he retained his Junior Nationals title.
“Ben was getting a lot more looks at my serve than the scores suggest and had a few break points,” said Bonding. “I lost against him in the 16U final at the Junior Nationals a couple of years ago, so I knew he could be a tricky opponent. I needed to play very well to beat him.”
Martin Weston, LTA Men's National Coach, said: “As the matches are live-streamed in this tournament, I’m always mindful of other countries watching as a bit of a stock take of the standard of Junior tennis in Britain and I would be proud of the level we saw in this final.
“The conditions and the speed of the court probably favoured Oli. In addition, Ben was playing with a significant hand injury and stuck to his guns admirably.
“Oli has been the stand-out performer all week. He made very few unforced errors today. He is working with experienced French coach Arnaud Agniel and they are an impressive team. A lot of good things are coming together for Oli. He’s grown into his body, he is moving well and his game is in good shape. I was proud of both boys today.”
In the Girls' doubles final, Middlesex’s Hollie Smart and Nottinghamshire’s Mia Wainwright saved a match point in the decisive tie break before they beat the pairing of Lincolnshire’s Ruby Cooling and Hertfordshire’s Hephzibah Oluwadare 3-6, 6-3, 11-9.
In the Boys’ doubles tournament, Wales South’s Felix Bockelmann Evans and Warwickshire’s Ferran Redza beat top seeds Avon’s Zechariah Hamrouni and Hertfordshire’s Rhys Lawlor 7-6(2), 6-3 in the final.
The champions in both the Girls' and Boys’ doubles tournaments will receive a wild card into the doubles main draw of the Junior Championships, Wimbledon.
