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| 05 Mar 2003 | |
| Brazil's big hope safely through on day 2 |
Leonardo Kirche, the home favourite for the Banana Bowl title, successfully made it through to the second round yesterday with a solid performance again wildcard Pedro Alves (BRA). The No.2 seed easily claimed the victory 63 62 and after gave his thoughts on the match: "The game was balanced at the beginning of the first set, but in the second set his performance was not so good and that made the match easier".
The first round victory for Kirche set up a rematch in the second round against Italian Fabio Fognini. The Italian claimed his second round spot after ousting Andrei Radulescu (CAN) 61 61, showing that he is a force to be reckoned with. Kirche knows this having narrowly beaten Fognini 36 61 75 at last week's Argentina Bowl and is anticipating another tough match: "He (Fognini) is not an easy opponent. He runs a lot and has a good forehand. The tactic is to attack from the beginning."
Elsewhere in the boys' draw the No.1 seed Chris Kwon (USA) is safely through to the next round after defeating Carlos Alvarez from Bolivia 63 63. Kwon is joined in the second round by No.5 seed David Brewer who overcame Francisco Beltrami 63 63, No.6 seed Jaime Cuellar (ELA) who fought out a tough victory against Willy Lock (PER) 06 64 63, and USA's Robert Cameron, seeded 8, who defeated Marc Spicijaric (USA) 75 63.
Cameron's fellow American seeds playing on day 2 did not fair well, No.3 seed Jarrett Chirico, No.9 seed Adam Fass and No.16 seed Alex Kuznetsov all fell at the first hurdle, joining No.15 seed Timothy Neilly who went out on day 1.
The girls' draw was a much safer place for seeds with the first round being completed with the loss of only one, the top seed Beier Ko (CAN). Julia Cohen, the no.2 seed got off to a flying start with a win over compatriot Carla Tamborini 63 64. Also safely through is the in-form Vojislava Lukic (YUG), although she was made to fight to close out the match 62 76(5).
For full results of day two click here: Banana Bowl Drawsheets
Photographs by Joao Pires
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