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| 16 Mar 2002 | |
| Day Six - Saturday 16 March 2002 |
Semi-finals day in Sao Paulo and top seeds in both the boys' and girls' singles moved easily through to Sunday's final.
No. 1 Brian Dabul put an end to Brazil's hopes of a home grown champion by beating Franco Ferreiro 62 63. In the other half of the draw, Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) had to battle hard to overcome Belgian Steve Darcis in two tie-break sets.
Dabul and Baghdatis have played each other only once before, in a three set thriller on the grass courts of Wimbledon 2001 when Baghdatis stole victory 67(6) 75 97. Dabul will be looking for revenge in tomorrow's final and will be hoping for third time lucky, having been runner-up in his two other Grade A final appearances, the Banana Bowl and Roland Garros in 2001. For the last two year's the Banana Bowl Champion has gone on to become the Junior World Champion, in 2000 Andy Roddick and 2001 Gilles Muller, so victory on Sunday would be a good start to Brian Dabul's campaign.
In the girls' singles Barbora Strycova (CZE) swept aside Maria Jose Argeri (ARG) 62 62 to reach her second Grade A final of the year. Tomorrow she will face Myriam Casanova (SUI) who defeated Mariana Correa (ECU) an easy 62 60. Moving into her second final in as many weeks, Casanova has the comfort of knowing that she is the only player this year to have beaten Strycova. The players met in quarterfinals of the Australian Hardcourt Championships, the warm up event for the Australian Open. Casanova went on to win that event and Strycova came into her own the following week to take the Australian Open crown.
Casanova already has one Banana Bowl title in hand, today she partnered Elke Clijsters (BEL) to victory against Argeri and Solome Devidze (GEO) 64 16 63 to take the Girls' Doubles title. The Boys' Doubles final will be contested by Darcis and Brendan Evans (USA) and the Portuguese team Frederico Gil and Leonardo Tavares on Sunday.
The latest results can be found on , www.bananabowl.netPhotographs by Luiz Doro
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