She insists the identity of her first round opponent is of little concern, but Germany’s Nastasja Schunk will no doubt be a more than interested observer when the draw for The Championships, Wimbledon is made tomorrow.

Schunk, who lost in last year’s SW19 girls’ final, delivered when it mattered and clinically dispatched Danielle Lao of the United States, 6-1 6-3, in the final round of qualifying to take her place among the sport’s elite.

It was the third and most pivotal triumph of a gruelling qualifying week, which also included victories against Czech Republic’s Miriam Kolodziejova and Jessica Pieri of Italy, as the 18-year-old gave herself the chance of reaching her latest Grand Slam main draw. She duly delivered.

Indeed, it is the second successive major that Schunk has successfully run the qualifying gauntlet, having also done so at Roland Garros in May when she succumbed to former world No. 1 Simona Halep in round one of her Grand Slam main draw debut. She has designs on a sticking around for longer this time.

“It really is an amazing feeling,” Schunk told itftennis.com. “I have come straight from the court so there is still a lot of adrenaline, but I am so happy to have made it and I am excited to get there.

“All the Grand Slams are special, but Wimbledon has something different. It has a different flair. It is very special and, for me, it is more special than the other Grand Slams.

“When I think back to last year’s girl’s final [against Spain’s Ane Mintegi del Olmo], never did I think I would be in the main draw just one year later, but I am so happy that I am.

“I go into next week with so much excitement. There have been a lot of learnings from Roland Garros, but it is a different surface here and one which I struggled with at the beginning. But now I know how to play, and I am comfortable. We will see what happens.”

The 2021 Wimbledon girls’ final proved to be Schunk’s final match in junior tennis and ever since she has featured within the professional ranks, either competing on the ITF World Tennis Tour or at WTA events.

She claimed titles at W25 Bydgoszcz and W25 Braunschweig shortly after her junior swansong, while her form has seen her rise to No. 156 in the world – her career-best is just one place higher and was achieved earlier this month.

The teenager's progress resulted in selection for Germany's squad for the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Finals in November, and she proceeded to make her national team debut in the women's world cup of tennis. 

“I am so pleased that I could adapt so well to the women’s tour and I have improved my game a lot,” said Schunk, who reached a career-high junior ranking of No. 15.

“I am really happy that I am here but, in the end, I take it match by match and tournament by tournament. If this is the outcome, I am happy with what I am doing.”

Elsewhere, there was almost a moment of history for Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, who was on course to become the first Andorran player to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam.

Jimenez Kasintseva, who was crowned Australian Open girls’ champion in 2020 at the age of just 14, would have also been the youngest player on show at Wimbledon next week. Ultimately, however, it was not to be as Australia’s Astra Sharma recovered from a set down to triumph.

Also reaching the Wimbledon main draw is Poland’s Maja Chwalinska, who defeated former world No. 9 CoCo Vandeweghe. It is the first time that Chwalinska has reached the main draw of a Grand Slam.