KIRKLAND, Wash. — Plenty of good can come from defeat. Even after falling in the final round of the 2024 USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships, Valerie Glozman still earned a wild card for a tennis major.
"I'm really happy with the result of the tournament because obviously, I get to go to the U.S. Open qualifying again, which is an amazing and incredible opportunity," Glozman said.
It's an opportunity she's had for three straight years. The Bellevue native was only 15 when she first cracked the U.S. Open qualifying. Now, as the number one player in the country under 18, she understands the moment.
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"I've been fortunate enough to go the past couple of years, so I already kind of knew what the tournament would look like, but this year was incredibly strong and there were a lot of great players in the draw," she said. "I went in with high hopes but low expectations and just tried to work through each match."
It's a lot of pressure to put on a 17-year-old on one of the biggest stages in tennis, but Glozman says she knows that pressure is a privilege.
"Just know that everything you're doing is a learning experience and you're pushing yourself to be a better player and better competitor," she said. "Last year, I got a little bit nervous because I had a few more expectations. This year, I also have expectations but it's also just such an amazing atmosphere, so I just want to take that and enjoy competing out there. You never know, this could be the last time I'm there, it could not, but I just want to enjoy that experience and play to the best of my abilities."
Win or lose, it's not nearly the last match of Glozman's glossy career, as she'll be starting her college career at Stanford in the fall. As part of the national championship opening ceremony, Glozman was recognized as the 2024 recipient of the USTA’s National Scholar Athlete Award, which is given annually to one boy and one girl who excel on the court and in the classroom.