 Photographer: Eleanor Preston
Date: 17 Dec 2004 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 04 Jun 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jun 2004 |  Photographer: Giorgio Maiozzi
Date: 16 Sep 2003 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 28 Jun 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2004 |
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| 20 Jan 2005 - ITF - Will Fletcher | |
| Australian Open Junior Championships |
As Melbourne Park prepares to host the 2005 Australian Open Junior Championships, speculation over who will lift the coveted trophy is always intense as a new crop of youngsters will undoubtedly emerge to challenge even the most consistent performer from the last twelve months.
The main contenders for the boys’ title include Korea’s Sun-Yong Kim who has performed steadily throughout 2004 and currently sits at the top of the Junior combined rankings. He reached the last 16 at the 2004 Australian Open and was runner up at last year’s Grade A Osaka Mayor’s Cup but has never lifted a Grade A winner’s trophy. Nevertheless, as his ranking shows, Kim is a consistent player and he is no stranger to victory having scooped a handful of titles in 2004. We will have to wait to see if 2005 will be his year.
Another hot favourite is fifteen year-old Donald Young (USA) who has charged up the Junior rankings at record speed. He was runner up at the Grade A Orange Bowl in December and won the Grade A Casablanca Cup a few weeks ago and has subsequently leapfrogged from 45 in the world at the start of December 2004 to his current ranking of number 2. He is certainly the in form player boasting a 7-0 win loss record for 2005 and is a good bet to make the final.
Similar to Young, Robin Haase (NED) has shot into the top 10 following a good run of form which saw him reach the semifinal at the Casablanca Cup and claim the trophy at the recent Grade 1 Coffee Bowl in Costa Rica. You can expect him to feature in the latter stages of this tournament along with players such as Lukas Lacko (SVK) and Sergiy Bubka (UKR).
Of all the nations the USA possess the greatest strength in depth in the boys’ singles event. Besides Young there is Tim Smyczek and Timothy Neilly both ranked inside the top 20. Neilly is in good shape and is the 2004 Orange Bowl Champion. He will certainly be one to watch especially considering that he defeated both Young and Kim en route to lifting that trophy only a month ago. Other Americans who could certainly upset the top seeds are Jesse Levine and Carsten Ball. The latter won the recent Grade 1 Loy Yang Power ITF Victorian Junior Championships in Melbourne and is on the top of his game.
Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky travels to Melbourne with the highest professional rank in the girls’ singles and will be one of the favourites for the title. Now boasting a WTA rank of 250, the Swiss player has made great progress since last year’s semifinal defeat to eventual champion Shahar Peer (ISR) and the fifteen year old will be looking to kick start 2005 with her first ever Grand slam win.
Although Angelique Kerber (GER) was knocked out in the first round of this week’s Grade 1 in Melbourne, she cannot be overlooked as a potential champion. She has advanced steadily on the women’s tour to hold a current ranking inside the top 300 and will be looking to improve on last year’s quarterfinal place.
Viktoria Azarenka was very consistent at last year’s big events as she reached the semifinals at both the US Open and Wimbledon and made the final at the Italian Open. Positioned third in the ITF Junior rankings, Azarenka has a high chance of becoming the first Belarussian girl to reach the final of the Australian Junior Open. Other players with a genuine chance are Olga Savchuk (UKR), Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) and Monica Niculescu (ROM) who should all feature in the latter stages of the tournament.
As much as we speculate over the 2005 Junior circuit and contemplate names which may become household, it is always interesting to monitor the progress of the recent graduates who now find themselves battling the best on the pro circuits. The 2004 ITF Junior boys’ World Champion, Gael Monfils (FRA), made his Grand Slam debut as a wildcard earlier this week overcoming Robby Ginepri (USA) before succumbing to Olivier Rochus (BEL) in the second round.
The current junior girls also performed admirably at the centennial Australian Open. Five out of eight of the 2004 Junior Grand slam finalists appeared in the maindraw of the women’s singles with Michaella Krajicek (NED) making it to the second round while Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) and Ana Ivanovic (SCG) have progressed to the third round and face the two top seeds Lindsay Davenport and Amelie Mauresmo.
Check out the ITF Junior website for daily match reports, news and photos from Melbourne park.
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