Photo: Radek VanaMax Purcell (AUS)
Positions 5-14 were decided in both the boys and girls competition at the 2012 World Junior Tennis finals in Prostejov, Czech Republic.
Boys
Third seeds Spain will end the 2012 World Junior Tennis finals in 5th position after a battling 2:1 victory over Germany today. Louis Wessels (GER) produced a commanding performance in the first singles rubber to give the Germans the lead. Spanish number one Eduard Guell Bartrina comfortably disposed of Samuel Sippel in straight sets to set up a deciding doubles. The German pair of Tim Ruehl and Sippel had three match points in the second set tie break, but the Spanish pair weathered the storm and kept their heard to win in three sets and give Spain a 2:1 victory.
Chinese Taipei eased to a 2-0 victory over seventh seeds Argentina to seal seventh position. After Cing Yang Meng fought from a set down to beat Manuel Pena Lopez the result was never in doubt. The impressive Chinese Taipei number one Tung Lin Wu defeated Genaro Olivieri (ARG) 62 61 to seal the tie. The doubles was not played.
Australia defeated France 2:1 to seal 9th place with a battling display. Despite losing the opening singles Oliver Anderson and Max Purcell produced a solid display of doubles to lead the Aussies to victory.
Eighth seeds Great Britain finished in eleventh position after easily defeating Chile today. Daniel Bennett and Jay Clarke both won their singles matches, for a loss of only six games combined, to seal victory. The doubles was not played.
Switzerland finished in thirteenth place after a 2-0 defeat of hosts Czech Republic today. Mirko Martinez (SUI) defeated Patrik Rikl (son of former Czech Davis Cup player David Rikl) 75 75 before Marko Osmakcic beat Alessandro Ricci in three tight sets to give the Swiss victory. The doubles was not played.
Girls
In the fifth place play-off third seeds Australia took on sixth seeds China. Sara Tomic gave the Aussies the lead with a straight set win over Yue-Nu Li of China. Si-Qi Cao then levelled the playing the tie with a win over Priscilla Hon to force the deciding doubles. The Chinese duo of Cao and Jia-Qi Ren prevailed once again, coming through in straight sets against Kimberly Birrell and Tomic.
Emma Higuchi (USA) got the USA off to a flying start in the play-off for 7th place as she dispatched Rosie Johanson (CAN) in straight sets, 62 61. Nicole Frenkel (USA) then sealed the victory for the 2010 Champions with a three set win over Katerina Kopcalic (CAN). The doubles was not played.
Egypt defated India in a titanic battle for 9th place. All three rubbers went to three sets and the match totalled over five hours in length. In the end it was the Egyptians who prevailed.
Russia faced Peru in the battle for 11th place, with the tie all square going into the deciding doubles. It was a valiant effort from the Peruvians as they fought back from a set down to level the match, but the Russians eventually prevailed 63 in the third set to claim 11th place.
Croatia struggled to victory over Argentina to claim 13th place. Lea Boskovic (CRO) and Marija Curnic (CRO) both fought back from a set down against their respective opponents, Milagros Montero and Agostina Zamprogno, to record the win.