Ashlyn Krueger, a 22‑year‑old Texan who broke into the top 30 last summer, had struggled to find form heading into the grass‑court season.
She had been losing more often than winning, dropped out of the top 100, and had to navigate qualifying just to reach the main draw at Wimbledon. She now exemplifies the tennis adage that a single strong week can change everything.
For Krueger, that breakthrough week came at the Birmingham Open in England in early June, where she won five matches—including qualifying rounds—before falling in the semifinals to Nikola Bartůňková of the Czech Republic. The following week she captured a WTA 125 title in Ilkley, also in England, a tier below the main tour.
At Wimbledon she has added six more victories—three from qualifying and three in the main draw—including a 6‑3, 6‑2 win over Ukraine’s Daria Snigur yesterday.
Standing over six feet tall, Krueger relies on a powerful game anchored by a blistering serve; however, consistency has remained elusive.
“It’s very difficult to work on that,” Krueger said, noting that her childhood coach and mother are currently guiding her during an interview at Wimbledon. “I believe you have to approach each match with hope and put in the work on the practice court day after day.”
