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| 07 Sep 2003 | |
| Tsonga and Flipkens take a bite from the Big Apple |
By Eleanor Preston in New York
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) clinched his first junior Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows on Sunday, taking the US Open trophy with 7-6, 6-3 win over last year’s runner-up Marcos Baghdatis (CYP). Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens won the girls’ title with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Michaela Krajicek. Flipkens, who now has a brace of Grand Slam titles after winning the Wimbledon trophy earlier this year, will be crowned the new World No.1 when rankings are released on Monday.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to have won two Grand Slams and have the No.1 ranking. It’s unbelievable,” said Flipkens. “I think everybody wants what I have reached now.”
Tsonga made light work of Baghdatis, shrugging off big match nerves despite playing in his first Grand Slam final. He looked the fitter and stronger of the two from the outset and it was Baghadatis who seemed to be feeling the strain after a gruelling few days. Three and a half days of rain earlier in the week caused chaos for the schedulers, forcing all four finalists to play five matches in three days.
“Today I played big tennis against a big player,” said Tsonga. “I think for me it was an advantage to be fit and to have a very good physique.”
Baghdatis remained upbeat despite his disappointment. “I am happy to have got to the final because this is my last junior Grand Slam and I wanted to do well here.”
He said he was looking forward to going back to Cyprus and seeing his parents, who he hasn’t seen for eight months, and said he was still proud to have represented the island nation. “They will still love me even though I lost,” he said. “But I love them too.”
Flipkens had to fight hard against 14-year-old Krajicek, particularly in a tense second set. The Belgian went a break down early and had to claw her way back but in the end her big match experience told.
Flipkens’ victory avenged her loss to Krajicek in the final of the Canadian Open last week. “It was a good revenge from last week,” said the Belgian. “This is so special but I haven’t really realised it yet. Today I was very confident before the match and I just told myself that I didn’t have any pressure because she was No.1, not me. I was like a tiger on the court.”
Watched by her ecstatic mother and a small but noisy band of Belgian supporters, Flipkens fell on her knees after taking match-point with a screaming forehand. She got a huge hug from mum afterwards and draped herself in the Belgian flag as a thank-you to her fans.
She was also quick to offer some consolation to a tearful Krajicek. “First of all I’d like to say to Michaela, don’t worry; you will win lots of Grand Slam titles. Trust me, it will happen for you.”
Krajicek said fatigue had played a big part in her below-par performance, the legacy of playing so many matches recently. “In the start when I walked on court I knew I was a little tired after all the matches in the last few days and last week in Canada as well,” explained Krajicek. “It’s disappointing but she played very well and my conditioning just wasn’t as good as hers was. Otherwise I’m very happy that I reached the final.”
Flipkens dedicated the win to her doubles partner Elke Clijsters, keeping a promise made a year ago. “Last year when I played doubles with Elke here I said that if I ever won the singles title I’d do it for her.”
All four finalists received their trophies on the 23,000 seater Arthur Ashe stadium court in a special ceremony held just before the men’s final.
Photos by Susan Mullane
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