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| 18 May 2001 | |
| Who will be the next to triumph in Milan? |
Next week in Milan sees the start of the fourth Group A tournament of the year, the 42nd Italian Junior Open Trofeo Bonfiglio Campionati. The championships attracts a high quality field from around the world all looking to kick start the European season with a win.
At the head of the Boys entry list are Bruno Echagaray (MEX) and Gilles Muller (LUX), both of whom have recently represented their countries in Davis Cup. Gilles Muller, No.2 in the current rankings, and winner of the last Group A tournament, the Banana Bowl in March, will be looking for a win in Italy to close the gap on the No.1 Janko Tipsarevic.
Ytai Abougzir (USA) and Luciano Vitullo (ARG), No. 4 and No.8 respectively in the rankings, will be hoping to emulate the success they achieved at the Australian Open where they won the doubles title. However, Vitullo hasn’t had the best preparation having lost in the second round of this week’s Group 1 tournament in Santa Croce.
Brian Dabul (ARG) and Robin Soderling (SWE), No. 11 and 12 in the rankings have been performing consistently well this year, Dabul reached the final at the Group A Banana Bowl whilst Soderling took the title at the Group 1 Japan Junior Open. Both are also performing well in Santa Croce where they have reached the semis.
The home favourite is undoubtedly Alberto Brizzi (ITA) winner of the Group 2 International Junior Tournament Citta di Prato at the beginning of May. He has followed up with a great performance in the Group 1 tournament in Santa Croce reaching the semis so far. It just remains to be seen whether he can maintain his amazing run and win his first Group A title on home soil.
The Girls Entry list is headed by Kaia Kanepi (EST) who led her team to the final of the ITF Connolly Continental Cup last year. Having finished in the Top 10 rankings last year she also received a spot on the Junior Exempt programme this year.
The list also includes Vera Zvonareva (RUS) winner of the Group A Ericsson Orange Bowl in December, Gisela Dulko (ARG), winner of the Group A Coffee Bowl in January and Sofia Arvidsson (SWE), finalist at the Junior Australian Open at the beginning of the year.
Angelique Widjaja (INA), winner of the Group 1 Japan Junior Open, and Su Wei Hsieh (TPE), the beaten finalist in Japan, both travel to Europe as members of the ITF International Junior Touring Team funded by the Grand Slam Development Fund. They will both be looking for their first Group A title after securing impressive results in Asia.
Check in for daily reports and photographs next week.
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