Gwendolyn Duvor Klu secured the ITF Junior Tennis Tournament title in Accra by defeating Togolese player and doubles partner Winner Gakpo in straight sets, 6‑2, 6‑2. The 16‑year‑old’s victory marked a sharp improvement on her second‑place finish at the same event last year.
Speaking after the win, Duvor Klu admitted she was nervous at the start of the final because she had lost the championship match the previous year. “I was quite nervous at the start because obviously last year, I made the final but I came second. This year, I wanted to win it,” she told JoySports.
The final presented an unusual challenge as she faced her regular doubles partner. “This year, I was playing against my doubles partner, so it’s a bit weird, but we still had to do it,” she added.
Duvor Klu said the key difference this year was a stronger focus on tactics and a clear game plan. “I was using more game plan and tactics (this year) than last year, so I had specific patterns of play and things put in place,” she explained.
She noted a brief moment of pressure when she was serving for the match at 5‑1 in the second set. “At the end, when I was winning the second set 5‑1, I was quite nervous and it went to 5‑2,” she said. She ultimately held her serve to close the match 6‑2 and claim the title.
The win comes at a pivotal time in Duvor Klu’s career; she recently made her senior national team debut for Ghana’s Diamond Rackets at the Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III tournament in Botswana. The ITF Junior Tennis Tournament will run until October 10.
