British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic was denied a first ever WTA win after an agonising 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (8-6) defeat by Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the first round of the Pan Pacific Open.
The 15-year-old, the reigning US Open girls’ champion, held a 3-2 lead against Uchijima, ranked 57th in the world, but was broken three games in a row as she lost the first set in Tokyo.
Stojsavljevic saved two match points in the second set and went on to win the tie-break 9-7 to level the match.
She saved two match points and won the second set tie-break. Despite leading 5-2 in the final set, Uchijima fought back, and after another tie-break, the 23-year-old secured the win, ending Stojsavljevic’s valiant effort.
