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| 25 May 2001 | |
| Italian Junior Open |
Day 5 saw the brightest smile of the tournament emerge from Angeliqua Widjaja. The Indonesian sixteen year old was over the moon today after beating the No.3 seed Marion Bartoli (FRA) in the quarter-final.
The key to the match was that Widjaja, a member of the ITF Development team, was able to control her opponent's dangerous returns. She went 4-2 and then 5-2 up in the first set but Bartoli fought back to force a tie-break. The Asian number one, who has already won 3 ITF circuit titles, was more solid and played smarter than her rival to win the tie break
7-3. Again she took a clear lead in the second set going 3-0 and 5-2 up. However she made things more difficult for herself than she needed to when she missed four match points. Her friends and team mates Lucia Migliarini (URU) and Neyssa Etienne (HAI were close to court number 10 in the Tennis Club Milano supporting Widjaja until last rally, along with former pro Bettina Fulco, semifinalist in Rome in 1989 and quarterfinalist at Roland Garros 1988 and who is now coaching the ITF Girls Under 18 team. After 2 hours and 19 minutes Widjaja finally held her nerve and upset Bartoli 7-6(3) 6-4.
Widjaja is yet to drop a set in any of her four matches in Milan, just like her next opponent, Estonian Kaia Kanepi, No.1 seed, who once again displayed a powerful game to defeat Maria Josè Argeri from Argentina. It took just 65 minutes for Kanepi to overcome the South American clay court specialist in straight sets 6-1 6-4.
Another Argentinean, No.2 seed Gisela Dulko, had a lot of problems against Michelle Gerards (NED). Gerards won three games in a row to come back to take the second set on the centre
court before letting Dulko back into the match to win in three sets 6-3 5-7 6-1.
The main surprise of the day came when Petra Cetkovska (CZE) was put out by Virag Nemeth (HUN), who came back after losing the first set 1-6. It was a bad day for the sixteen year old Cetkovska from Prostejov, as she let her nerves get the better of her and made lots of unforced errors. She missed a great opportunity to face Dulko in an important semi-final and Nemeth takes the fourth spot 16 62 63.
In the Boys main draw No.1seed, Mexican Bruno Echagaray, was unfortunately forced to retire at 6-2 4-1 due to a hand injury and therefore Colombian Alejandro Falla takes his place in the semis.
The quarter-finals also saw the end to Andreas Seppi's (ITA) adventure. The last surviving Italian was eliminated by Robin Soderling 6-3 7-6(4) (SWE).
Luciano Vitullo (ARG) was stopped by another lefthander, Gilles Muller from
Luxemburg. The No.2 seed was too fast for Vitullo winning 6-7(5) 6-2 6-2. With the demise of Echagaray Muller now becomes the hot favourite for the title.
The last boys quarterfinal between Roman Valent and Lamine Ouahab, was
left unfinished due to rain. They were 6-6 in 3rd set: Valent won the
first 6-0 and the Algerian levelled the the match 7-5.
So Saturday begins with the climax to this interesting battle before the semi-finals get under way.
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