|
|
| 23 May 2001 | |
| Italian Junior Open |
Andreas Seppi remained the only Italian player left in either the boys’ or girls’ singles after the third day. On Wednesday he had to draw on all his reserves to beat Canadian Frank Dancevic in two tie-break sets.
Despite having a set point at 6-5 in the first set, Seppi found himself 4-2 down in the tie-break before fighting back to take the first set. After another tie-break set the 17-year-old from Italy secured his place in the quarter finals 76 76 and is yet to drop a set in the tournament. On Thursday Seppi faces the tough prospect of a match up with No. 4 seed Robin Soderling (SWE), one of the hot favourites for the title.
Soderling was forced to come back from a set down against Stephane Bohli (SUI), who created a lot of problems for the Swede from the baseline. However, Soderling lived up to his seeding, emerging the victor 26 63 64.
Luciano Vitullo (ARG) survived in the bottom half of the draw despite taking over two hours to get past Croatian Sasa Tuksar. Vitullo was not in great shape last week in Santa Croce where he lost in the second round and he looked to be going the same way again this week when Tuksar took the first set easily 63. However Vitullo rose to the occasion and came back strongly to win 36 61 64. In the next round he meets lefthander Gilles Muller, the No. 2 seed from Luxemburg.
Muller did not have an easy time during his match against Tomas Holzer (ITA). At one stage he broke a racquet on his foot after a particularly good shot from Holzer. Holzer won the second set to draw level after a series of perfect passing shots and volleys, but again the seed proved his quality and came back to win 64 26 62.
No.1 seed Bruno Echagaray (MEX) was made to struggle again in his second round match. Echagaray, who like Muller has recently played Davis Cup for his country, was tested by Matthew Smith (GBR) despite the fact that clay is not Smith’s favourite surface. Again Echagaray took three sets to progress 62 46 62.
Despite all the tough matches, the only real surprise of the day came when Algerian Lamine Ouahab upset No. 10 seed Alex Bogdanovich (GBR), again in three sets, 62 06 64.
In the girls’ singles, Kaia Kanepi (EST), favourite for the title along with Gisela Dulko (ARG), gained her place in the second round for the loss of just one game. She steamrollered Mexican Lourdes Lopez 60 61.
Marion Bartoli was another seed displaying awesome form in her elimination of Giorgia Mondani (ITA) 60 61. Bartoli, coached by her father Walter, a fencing instructor, plays double handed on both sides and times the ball to perfection, driving her opponents crazy with the sheer power of her shots.
Tuesday’s star player Jamea Jackson (USA) was put out of the tournament by Daniela Casanova (SUI) 64 46 63. However considering Jamea is only fourteen and trains at the Nick Bollettieri Academy in Florida, we are sure to be seeing a lot more of her in years to come.
^ Back to Top
|
