Five things to know about Jana Kovackova

Czechia’s Jana Kovackova, who is ranked No. 12 in the ITF World Tennis Tour girls’ rankings, reached her first professional final at the weekend on her professional debut. She finished runner-up to Bulgaria’s Isabella Shinikova in the final at W15 Sharm El-Sheikh.

Kovackova would appear to be a hugely talented player with a bright future. As such, here are five things to know about the talented teen.

• By reaching the final at W15 Sharm El-Sheikh on the ITF World Tennis Tour, Kovackova is the first player – man or woman – born in 2010 to reach a professional tennis singles final.
  
  
• At 14 years and 255 days, Kovackova is the second youngest Czech player to reach an ITF World Tennis Tour Women’s singles final (since ITF World Tennis Tour records began in 1994) after Nicole Vaidisova. Vaidisova won $10,000 Plzen in October 2003 aged 14 years and 179 days.
  
  
• Kovackova was the most successful girl on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors in 2024, winning a combined 17 titles (eight singles and nine doubles). This is the most titles won by a player on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors since 1994 when Federico Browne of Argentina won 21.
  
  
• The teenager was a member of the of the Czechia team crowned girls’ champions at the 2024 ITF World Junior Tennis Finals in 2024. ITF World Junior Tennis is the international team competition for players aged 14 and under and Czechia have now won the girls’ event three years running. Kovackova won all five singles matches she contested at the Finals without dropping a set, as well as three of her four doubles matches.
  
  
• Jana, the younger sister of Alena who is ranked a place below her in the ITF World Tennis Tour girls’ rankings, won the girls’ singles title at last year’s 14-and-under event at The Championships, Wimbledon.