From GSCE exams to Wimbledon main draw – Mika Stojsavljevic reflects on her 2025 season
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Starting out your professional tennis journey can be hard enough – arranging your schedule, focusing on tournaments and training, and trying to improve your ranking – but when you’re balancing that with school work and exams, it reaches a whole new level.
That’s the reality for 16-year-old British tennis player Mika Stojsavljevic, who took her GCSE exams only weeks before making her Wimbledon main draw debut earlier this year.
Stojsavljevic is one of the rising talents in the British game right now. Last year, she made history in becoming the first British player in 15 years and the youngest player since 2006 to win the US Open girls’ singles title.
In 2025, she’s gone on to make more progress in the women’s professional game as well – winning her second pro title at the Lexus British Pro Series Birmingham, reaching the final of the Lexus Wrexham Open and last week, made the semi-finals at the W100 Dubai.
Combining her tennis with the daily challenges of school is no easy feat, but Stojsavljevic is finding the right balance to excel in both.
Wimbledon was incredible, it was really amazing. I had all my family there and some old coaches which was nice. The atmosphere was crazy.
“I actually did really well – for me (in her GCSEs). I got my nines in English Literature and English Language which was really good.
“I’ve started my A-Levels now, I’m studying Politics and English Literature. Humanities is my thing – I really enjoy it.
“I think the team do a great job organising all my tennis and fitness stuff, but I do have to be proactive with arranging different lessons and balancing my time.”
Over the last two years, Stojsavljevic has been starting to compete more on the professional tours alongside playing the biggest junior events.
The transition from the juniors to the pro game can be difficult for young players, with the increased physicality, the consistency, the mental game and several other factors.
Stojsavljevic – who graduated from the Loughborough University National Tennis Academy and is now supported by the LTA Pro Scholarship Programme, presented by Lexus – has taken this all in her stride and is enjoying competing against senior players.
Her impressive results on the ITF Tour earnt her the chance of a lifetime this summer – a wild card into the main draw at Wimbledon.
“I haven’t found it that crazy of a jump,” she said. “I was playing a bit at the pro-level before, so I think I’ve kind of eased my way into it.
“Wimbledon was incredible, it was really amazing. I had all my family there and some old coaches which was nice. The atmosphere was crazy. I got a break in the second set and everyone was out of their seats on Court 17.
“It’s pretty different (to junior Slams) – you feel more energy, you see people like (Novak) Djokovic walking around and you’re in the same places as them. For a first time, it’s quite a big thing but I think you get used to it.
“To be honest, after my exams I was pretty wiped, so I wasn’t thinking about it too much and wasn’t too nervous going in.”
Since Wimbledon, Stojsavljevic has played five ITF events – reaching two semi-finals and three finals.
One of her most recent events saw the British star reach her first W100 singles final at the Lexus Wrexham Open in North Wales.
The Hammersmith-born star stormed her way into the final, winning four matches without dropping a set, before meeting fellow British teenager Mimi Xu in the final.
Stojsavljevic, Xu and Hannah Klugman have formed a trio of rising talents in the women’s game and have grown up together playing throughout the junior age groups.
Despite having defeated Xu only weeks before in Birmingham, Stojsavljevic lost the final 6-3, 7-5, but there were plenty of positives to take away from a standout week for the 16-year-old.
“I thought Wrexham was a great tournament. I think the organisers did the club up really nicely, they had stands around the courts and I think there were around 600 people there for the final, which was pretty incredible. Getting to the final was an amazing experience.
“We’ve grown up around each other, I’d say I was always a bit behind, but we are always pushing each other on.”
The Briton has shown that she has the quality and game to compete (and beat) experienced senior players at such an early point in her tennis career.
While Stojsavljevic will have her work cut out for her playing professional tennis and studying for A-levels, we can expect to see a lot more of her next season and in the years to come.
