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| 15 Jan 2003 | |
| Elite Juniors ready for battle at Melbourne Park |
On Monday 20th January the latest crop of top juniors will be heading to Melbourne Park to take their chances at the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Junior Open.
Well-known faces on the junior circuit will be joined by younger players stepping up to experience their first junior Grand Slam. The Australian Open is always an interesting tournament to watch out for new names that could make an impact on the circuit in the coming year.
In the boys' draw the most well known face will belong to Marcos Baghdatis from Cyprus, who finished 2002 in the No.2 ranking spot. Baghdatis' best Grand Slam showing came at the 2002 US Junior Open, where he finished runner-up to 2002 World Junior Champion Richard Gasquet. The seventeen year old Cypriot has traditionally not performed well in Australia, going out in the second round in both of his previous visits to Melbourne Park. However as the top ranked player participating in 2003, this could be his best chance to claim a Grand Slam title.
French boys made a massive impact on the 2002 junior circuit with their dominance first becoming obvious in Melbourne last year. Three of the four semifinal places were occupied by the French, Richard Gasquet, eventual winner Clement Morel, and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga. With Gasquet taking the French and US Open titles, three of last year's Grand Slam trophies found homes in France. This year the French challenge will be led by Jo-Wilfred Tsonga who returns to try to go one step further than 2002, he will be joined by Mathieu Montcourt making his debut at the Australian Open. Montcourt has already shown that he can cope with the Australian by taking the title at the Victorian Junior Championships.
After a disappointing showing in 2002 with nobody making it past the round of 16, the USA have returned to mount a strong challenge this year. There are six US boys in the top 25 entrants with Brian Baker being the highest ranked at No.3. Baker made a big breakthrough at the end of 2002 by winning the Grade A Orange Bowl, so should be brimming with confidence for the start of 2003. Baker's compatriots, Chris Kwon and Jarrett Chirico will also put up some stiff competition, along with the three boys who made up the silver medal winning team at the 2002 Junior Davis Cup, Brendan Evans, Phillip Simmonds and Scott Oudsema.
Australia's main hope will come in the shape of hometown boy Chris Guccione. Guccione, who was born in Melbourne and trains at the Australian Institute of Sport, should feel at home at Melbourne Park. Although he has not yet passed the round of 16 at a Grand Slam, he has started 2003 in good form by finishing runner-up to Montcourt in Victoria. However, as with all hometown players it remains to be seen whether playing so close to home will prove to be a help or a hindrance.
The Czech Republic could dominate the girls' draw this year as the French boys did in 2002. Four of the top ten girls entered this year are from the Czech Republic, with reigning Australian Open champion and 2002 World Junior Champion Barbora Strycova returning to defend her title. Strycova is joined by Petra Cetkovska, the 2001 World Junior Doubles champion, as well as debutantes to the Australian Open Katerina Bohmova and Andrea Hlavackova.
US Open semifinalist Jarmila Gadjosova (SVK) will be hoping to stop the Czech girls having it all their own way. The fifteen year old Slovakian lost in the first round last year in Melbourne, however, now a year older and with a Grand Slam semifinal appearance under her belt she should be able to put up more of a challenge.
Asia's best hope of claiming the title for the first time in the history of the tournament will come in the shape of Japan's Ryoko Fuda, currently ranked No.12. Fuda won two titles in Australia in 2002 and also made a breakthrough by winning the Grade A Osaka Mayor's Cup in Japan, defeating two Czech girls, Hlavackova and Lucie Safarova, en route to the final.
Hopes of an Australian winner in the girls' draw are pretty slim with the highest ranked home player Darya Ivanov currently No.107. Born in Uzbekistan but now living in Australia, Ivanov notched up some impressive results in 2001, but had a disappointing 2002. However, she has started 2003 in more positive form, knocking the No.5 seed Beier Ko (CAN), out of Australian Hardcourt Championships.
The junior Grand Slams provide junior players with the opportunity play alongside their idols and experience the unique atmosphere of the tournaments that they aspire to be a part of. A telling point in a player's development is how they handle the pressure that comes as part and parcel of playing in a Grand Slam. The Australian Open is the first experience of this level of pressure for many players and is a great indicator of who to watch out for in 2003.
For daily reports from the Australian Junior Open, visit www.ITFjuniors.com.
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