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| 24 Jan 2002 | |
| Girls' Day at Melbourne Park |
By Eleanor Preston
On a packed Thursday at Melbourne Park, day four of the junior Australian Open saw mixed fortunes for some of the leading lights of the boys’ and girls’ events. In the boys’ tournament, Australia’s Todd Reid continued his good run at his home Grand Slam with an impressive 76(3) 61 win over seventh seed Brian Baker; Isreali Dudi Sela knocked out Luka Gregorc 64 62 and German hotshot Philipp Petzschner overcame an arm injury to down Britain’s Alex Bogdanovic in three sets.
Richard Gasquet is already regarded as one of France’s best hopes for the future and he endorsed that by booking his place in the fourth round with a 60 61 victory over eighth seed Yordan Kanev. Third seed Lamine Ouahab, the highest seed left in the boys’ draw, will be Gasquet’s next challenge. Ouahab marched into the last 16 by beating Michal Przysiezny 62 62.
If the boys’ were busy in the third round, life got even more complicated in the girls’ competition, where a backlog of matches dating from rain on Monday and Tuesday meant many players had to fit in two matches in one day. Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova won twice without dropping a set, cruising past Alex McGoodwin and Tatiana Golovin to move in the fourth round. Giant killer of the day was Russia’s Vera Douchevina, who knocked out 15th seed Ana Vrljic and 2001 girls’ junior US Open champion Marion Bartoli.
Maria Sharapova is another of Russia’s rising stars. She joined Douchevina in the last 16 after beating both fifth seed Miriam Casanova before doubling up to beat Australia’s hope Samantha Stoser.
“I played a lot of weekend tournaments when I was younger so I got used to playing two matches in one day, and that helped a lot,” said Sharapova. “It’s difficult though. The first match gives you confidence because you win but then you have to start all over again.”
Sharapova is hotly tipped to join the phalanx of young Russians currently causing a stir on the women’s tour. The 14-year-old has spent much of her life away from her homeland but says she is still proudly Russian. “I go back whenever I can because I have friends and family in Russia and I miss it a lot,” said Sharapova. “I will always play for Russia and it’s great to win for your country” She next plays Elke Clijsters for a place in the quarter-finals. Elke, sister of women’s semi-finalist Kim Clijsters, beat Dominique Van Boekel and third seed Matea Mezak.
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