 Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 22 Dec 2003 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 22 Dec 2003 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 22 Dec 2003 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 22 Dec 2003 | | |
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| 21 Dec 2003 - Crandon Park, Florida, USA - Tim Curry | |
| Baghdatis, Vaidisova Rally To Win Orange Bowl Titles |
Key Biscayne, Fla. – Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus and Nicole Vaidisova of Czech Republic rallied after losing to first set to win the boys’ and girls’ 18-and-under singles titles, respectively, at the Orange Bowl International Championships at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park on Sunday.
Baghdatis defeated Gael Monfils of France in the final 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, and ended the year as the No. 1 player in the ITF World Junior Rankings. The race for the top spot came down to this event for Baghdatis and No. 2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who was upset in the first round.
Vaidisova becomes the youngest Orange Bowl Girls’ 18s champion since Anna Kournikova won the 1995 title at the age of 14 years, 6 months. Vaidisova, who turns 15 in April, rallied to defeat American wild card Neha Uberoi, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
Both players were awarded the traditional trophy filled with oranges and a wild card into the qualifying rounds at the NASDAQ-100 Open, a combined ATP and WTA Tour event held in March.
“With all the pressure I had in Miami, I feel great getting through it,” said Baghdatis, who won his last three matches in the decisive third set. “I think I made a step in my career. I came here very tired and didn’t want to play a lot of tennis. I was really, really out of tennis. To come back and win the Orange Bowl was tough. I am really proud of myself.”
Monfils, runner-up in the boys' 16s event here last year, appeared to have Sunday's match in hand serving for a 5-3 lead in the second set before Baghdatis began his charge.
“I put my level up,” said Baghdatis. “I started to play really good tennis and it came along at the right time. I hadn’t played this good tennis in a long time. When I get into it, it is tough to stop me.”
Vaidisova was visibly shaken in the first set of the girls’ final after failing to convert two set points serving 5-4, 40-15. She later ended the set with two double faults.
“I was still confused and still think about the lead which I lost with two unforced errors,” said Vaidisova. “I kept thinking about that and it cost me the first set. I stayed focus and avoided brain damage except for a few moments.”
Nerves were ultimately Uberoi’s demise as well.
“I was nervous in the beginning and nerves took over in the end,” said the seventeen-year-old Princeton native. “I got my bowl of oranges. It just wasn’t as big as I expected It was a really great experience today, especially with the crowd. It was really a lot of fun for me… until match point.”
Uberoi entered the event ranked No. 447 by the WTA Tour but unranked on the junior circuit.
Vaidisova is unranked on the pro tour, but won the only professional tournament she has player, a $10,000 ITF Circuit event in Pizen, Czech Republic in October.
The players had very different plans for the week ahead.
Uberoi left on a week-long cruise to Mexico with her family hours after her final. Vaidisova was staying an extra day in Miami with her family before heading back to their home in Bradenton, Fla. Her younger brother will finish competing in the Orange Bowl golf event on Monday.
Baghdatis will fly Monday morning to Mexico to play his final junior event. His first match is scheduled for Monday night.
In doubles, the El Salvadorian team of Rafael Arevalo and Jaime Cuellar defeated Americans Treat Huey and Greg Oullette, 7-6 (6), 6-3, for the boys’ titles. Marina Erakovic and Ekaterina Kosminskaia defeated Victoria Azarenka and Volha Havartsova 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (4) in the girls’ final.
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