 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2004 |
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| 08 Sep 2004 - Flushing Meadows, New York - Eleanor Preston | |
| Krajicek Makes Winning Return to Flushing Meadows |
Michaella Krajicek has mixed memories of last year’s US Open juniors, where she put together a run that ended with defeat in the final to Kirsten Flipkens, who went on to end the year as junior World No.1. Twelve months on, Krajicek, from the Netherlands, is through to the third round of the 2004 competition, an older, wiser and, she says, stronger player.
“I think I am physically stronger than a year ago but it’s been difficult since then,” she admitted, after beating Olga Poutchova of Belarus 63 75. “The girls out there get stronger and stronger and play better and better and you have to keep up. I haven’t had a good summer but my last two matches have been much, much better. I’m not comparing this year to last year because this is all new and I have to go out there and win every match. It does help to know that I can play well on these courts though and feel comfortable and know that I can make it.”
Krajicek was too strong for Poutchova in the first set and would have won more easily had she not wobbled when she went to serve for the match at 5-4 up. “That kind of experience is good for the nerves,” she said, with a smile. “It was a really good win today.”
Krajicek now plays ITF girls’ team member Madalina Gojnea of Romania in the third round. Gojnea, who was joined in the last 16 by team-mates Viktoria Azarenka and eighth-seed Olga Govortsova (both from Belarus), beat Magdalena Kiszczynska of Poland 76 62.
“She is happiest on clay and I think I have to try and break her serve and play the match on my terms,” said Krajicek. “She hates to miss a ball so I have to play hard against her because otherwise I will be there forever!”
In the boys’ competition, British Wimbledon finalist Miles Kasiri scored the day’s biggest upset by beating fourth seed Alex Kuzentsov to seal a place in the last 16.
“It was a big win for me and I’m really pleased because my first match was really awful and so it surprised me to play as well as I did against Kuznetsov,” he said.
Kasiri has suffered an array of niggling injuries since moving from grass to hard-courts after Wimbledon but says he is now fully fit and ready to build on his achievements at his home grand slam, where he lost to France’s Gael Monfils in the final.
“At Wimbledon I had so many people cheering for me and here it’s a bit fairer because the crowds are neutral,” he said. “That means there is a lot less pressure on me. I like the noise and the atmosphere here a lot.
“Wimbledon taught me a lot though because it made me realise that you don’t have to play brilliantly in every match, you just have to play better than your opponent and take it round by round.”
Monfils has applied much the same philosophy to his extraordinary run in the juniors this year. He continued his odyssey towards the grand slam of junior titles on Tuesday, beating the USA’s Phillip Simmonds 75 06 62.
“When I went a break down in the second set I just let it go because I didn’t feel good physically,” admitted Monfils, who has been battling a knee injury since winning Wimbledon. “I was lucky to get it back together because I think he played good but he missed one volley and it gave me confidence.”
Related Articles
> Monfils Begins Historic Title Tilt
> Kuznetsov Leads American Charge At Flushing Meadows
> Monfils Goes For Grand Slam
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