 Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 19 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 19 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 21 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 21 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 21 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 21 Dec 2004 |
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| 19 Dec 2004 - Key Biscayne - Tim Curry | |
| Kirkland, Neilly give U.S. sweep at Orange Bowl |
Timothy Neilly and Jessica Kirkland gave the United States a sweep of the Orange Bowl International boys’ and girls’ singles titles for the first time since 1974.
Neilly defeated Donald Young, 6-4, 7-5, in the first all-American Orange Bowl boys’ singles final in 20 years. Kirkland defeated Russia’s Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-2, 6-0, in the girls’ final to become the first American to win the Orange Bowl girls’ title since Luanne Spadea 15 years ago.
Kudryavtseva was attempting to become the fourth Russian champion here in the last six years. Russia has won the Orange Bowl Girls’ 18s singles title here five times in the past decade since then 14-year-old Anna Kournikova won in 1995.
Kirkland, the No. 3 seed, was winless in two prior meetings against unseeded Kudryavtseva, who knocked off four seeded players en route to her first final of the year.
“The first time we played was here at the (2003 USTA) Winter Internationals. It was my first international tournament and she had a little more experience than me,” said Kirkland. “Our second match was in the second round of Wimbledon, which was the first time I played in a Grand Slam. She played very well the two times we played, but I had a lot of confidence going into this match.”
Since her loss at Wimbledon, Kirkland has posted a 16-1 record on the ITF Junior Circuit and is currently on an 11-match winning streak, including a title run at the USTA International Winter Championships last week also held here at the Crandon Park Tennis Center. The only loss during that span was in the US Open girls’ singles final to Michaella Krajicek.
Neilly’s first international junior singles title completed a remarkable turnaround following a first round loss in the Eddie Herr International three weeks ago. Since then he has been working with Tarik Benhabiles, who coached Andy Roddick to the Orange Bowl title in 1999.
“I was totally negative after that loss and called Tarik right after the match to ask for some advice,” said Neilly, who was winless in two previous final appearances. “He told me to come to Miami right away. It was time to get some direction and Tarik has done that for me immediately.”
Last week, Neilly lost in the third round of the USTA International Winter Championships to the eventual champion Mihail Zverev (GER) 7-5 in the third set. Seeded No. 11 this week, Neilly eliminated the No. 1, and 6 seeds in the two matches prior to beating No. 5 Young in the final.
“I didn’t feel like anything was working today, not to take any credit away from him. He played well and he’s been playing well the whole tournament,” said Young, who was attempting to become the tournament’s youngest champion (15 years, 4 months, 26 days).
Young won the only prior meeting against Neilly in the first round of an ITF junior clay court event in Mexico last December two weeks after winning the Orange Bowl 16s.
In the girls’ doubles final on Saturday, Martina Erakovic (NZL) and Monica Niculescu (ROM) avenged a loss in last week IWC final to Americans Vania King and Yasmin Schnack. It was the third consecutive final for the team who also won the Eddie Herr International.
Erakovic also won four other doubles titles this season, including the US Open where she and Krajicek defeated Niculescu and Madalina Gojnea in the final. Niculecu won six other doubles titles (four with her sister Gabriela). Erakovic and Niculescu also reached the Wimbledon final.
Venezuela’s David Navarette and Piero Luisi captured the boys’ doubles title on Saturday with a straight sets win over Abdullah Magdas (KUW) and Martin Pederson (DEN). It was the third ITF junior title for the team.
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