LONDON, July 2, 2022 (Tennis South Africa Press Release)

South African junior tennis star Isabella Kruger produced a spellbinding performance to make it through to main draw at Wimbledon at her first junior Grand Slam.

The country’s leading women’s player beat American Theadora Rabman, 6-0, 6-2 in her second qualifying match on Friday in London to secure her spot in the main draw event.

Kruger took an aggressive approach from the start to which her American opponent, ranked no. 101 in the ITF junior rankings, had no answer for.

The 17-year-old of Anthony Harris Tennis Academy on Thursday thrashed world No. 86 junior Madeleine Jessup from Taiwan 6-2, 6-1 to confirm her spot in the final qualifying round.

“I am super happy that I was able to qualify and now be in the main draw of my first junior grand slam,” said the Pretoria-born rising prodigy who currently resides in Cape Town.

“It’s so awesome being able to play on the grass here which is obviously a different surface but it’s a new experience for me and I am so happy that I made the main draw.”

Kruger will face American Sonya Macavei in the first round. Macavei is ranked no. 60 in the ITF junior world rankings.

“Being around the bigger players as a junior here at Wimbledon is awesome. The experience at this professional level is super exciting and I look forward to competing in the main draw next week.”

This marks the first time South Africa has a representative in the girls’ main draw event at Wimbledon in many years.