 Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 18 Dec 2003 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 22 Dec 2003 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 30 Dec 2003 | | | |
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| 17 Dec 2003 | |
| Baghdatis Plays 100th Match of the Year; Sister Act Proves Too Much for Bondarenko |
Key Biscayne, Fla. – Marcos Baghdatis celebrated his first day as ITF World Junior Champion with a workmanlike 6-4, 6-4, win over American wild card Jamil Al-Agba, at the Orange Bowl International Championships. Baghdatis, who clinched the year-end No. 1 junior ranking when No. 2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lost in the first round on Monday, played his 100th match of the year and improved to 81-19 overall in junior and professional tournaments and as a member of the Cyprus Davis Cup team.
“Physically, I’m o.k. I’m more tired mentally,” said Baghdatis. “It’s been a long year, but my coach and I decided that I need to look at this week as a challenge now that the pressure of ending the No. 1 is gone. Who knows? There may come a time when I’m playing a match for No. 1 on the ATP and I’m tired like this and have to find a way to win.”
“Being No. 1 is a great feeling. I’m proud of myself and proud for my country and for my academy. Maybe this will help tennis in Cyprus and we can bring up other young players.”
Baghdatis didn’t call home after securing the No. 1 ranking, but his older brother, Petros, arrived in Miami Tuesday from Cyprus to help Marcos celebrate. “After the tournament we will have a dinner to celebrate, maybe with some champagne and some wine and eat what we want, then go to a disco,” said Marcos. “But that is for later. Right now I will take each match as it comes. The time to celebrate will come later.”
Germany’s Sebastian Rieschick won his sixth consecutive match with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Mykyta Kryvonos of New York. Rieschick improved to No. 6 in the world after winning the USTA International Winter Championships on Sunday.
Gael Monfils of France defeated American Vahid Mirzadeh in the first round for the second consecutive week, dropping only three games in the rematch 6-1, 6-2. Monfils reached last week’s final after knocking off Tsonga in the third round.
“Last week, I was not ready to play (against Mirzadeh),” said Monfils, who could have faced Tsonga again in the quarterfinals this week. “Jo is a good friend. I would like to have seen him win the championships. I am sad for him, but also need to think about myself.”
Qualifier Christopher Klingemann knocked off the only other seeded player in action Tuesday, No. 14 Juan Amado of Argentina.
In the girls’ event, Katerina Bondarenko of Czech Republic, ranked No. 6 in the world, had her 11-match winning streak come to an abrupt end, falling to Romanian qualifier Gabriela Niculescu, 6-2, 6-4. Bondarenko won the last two major events on the junior circuit – the Eddie Herr International and the USTA International Winter Championships – by defeating Gabriela’s younger sister, Monica, in both finals.
Unseeded Monica Niculescu, who advanced through qualifying to reach the main draw each of the past three weeks, dropped just one game in her first round win over Kelly De Beer and will face No. 14 ranked Kristy Marcio of Florida next. Marcio defeated Elizabeth Kobak, who won the Prince Cup last week, in three sets.
Bondarenko was not the only upset victim Tuesday. Fourth-ranked Emma Laine lost to fifteen-year-old Alexandra Mueller of Abington, Pa., 6-1, 3-6, 6-0.
No. 6 seed Ally Baker of the United States and No. 8 Andrea Hlavackova were the only other seeds in action on Tuesday. Both players advanced.
Wednesday’s action includes the second round of singles in both age groups for boys and girls.
NOTE: 1995 Orange Bowl 18s champion Anna Kournikova was on site at the Orange Bowl on Tuesday causing a disruption amongst the boys' field.
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