 Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 17 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 17 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 17 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 17 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 17 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 17 Dec 2004 |
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| 17 Dec 2004 | |
| Host national well represented in Orange Bowl boys quarterfinals |
Five of the top eight seeds, including Americans Donald Young and Mykyta Kryvonos, advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships held at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park, the home of the NASDAQ-100 Open. The host country will have a player in each of the four boys’ quarterfinal matches.
No. 5 Young, the reigning Orange Bowl 16s champion, will face No. 3 Rafael Arevalo (ESA) in the only quarterfinal match-up between players seeded among the top eight. The two met a year ago in the first round of the Boys’ 18s at the Eddie Herr International where Arevalo defeated then 14-year-old Young in straight sets. Arevalo reached the semifinals in singles here last year and won the doubles title.
Ukrainian born Kryvonos, the No. 6 seed, will face qualifier Andrew Kennaugh (GBR), who saved a match point against Sam Querrey (USA) in the third round before winning in a third set tiebreaker, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Kryvonos, who lives in Flushing, N.Y. and trains at the National Tennis Center – the home of the US Open, dispatched Alex Clayton (USA) in straight sets.
Two Floridians also advanced to the quarterfinals where they will meet the top two seeds. Miami’s Timothy Neilly will play No. 1 Sun Yong Kim (KOR) and Greg Ouellette of Ormond Beach will face No. 2 Mihail Zverev (GER).
In the girls’ draw, No. 2 Monica Niculescu (ROM) will attempt to reach the semifinals here for the second consecutive year when she takes on unseeded Ekaterina Makarova (RUS). Last year, Niculescu lost to eventual champion Nicole Vaidisova who ended this season ranked No. 77 in the world after winning two WTA Tour titles.
In the third round Niculescu held off unseeded Mary Gambale (USA), 6-1, 6-3, with a steady dose of drop shots and slices. In boxing terns, Niculescu’s 1-2 combination of unexpected drop shots and precision lobs deals a staggering blow to her opponents.
“That’s my game. It usually stresses people out, so I wanted to start with it right away,” said Niculescu, who used drop shots in five of the first six points of the match. “(Gambale) was running a lot and getting a lot of balls back. At first she had trouble with the spins, but you get used to it, so the second set was closer. She’s a difficult player.”
Alexa Glatch (USA) won her second consecutive match over a seeded player, dispatching No. 10 Evgenia Rodina (RUS) in straight sets. She’ll face No. 3 Jessica Kirkland (USA) in the quarterfinals.
In the top half of the draw, No. 6 Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) will play Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS), who upset No. 4 Olga Poutchkova (RUS) in the third round. Vania King (USA) faces No. 12 Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROM) in the other quarterfinal.
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