 Photographer: Didier Mossiat
Date: 21 Mar 2005 |  Photographer: Didier Mossiat
Date: 21 Mar 2005 |  Photographer: Didier Mossiat
Date: 21 Mar 2005 |  Photographer: Didier Mossiat
Date: 21 Mar 2005 |  Photographer: Didier Mossiat
Date: 21 Mar 2005 | |
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| 21 Mar 2005 - Faye Andrews | |
| Fichman and Mayer claim the Banana Bowl titles |
The Banana Bowl concluded on Sunday with two new Grade A winners for the ITF Junior Circuit. Argentine Leonardo Mayer and Canada’s Sharon Fichman add their names to the honour roll, which includes John McEnroe, Gustavo Kuerten and Andy Roddick.
Brazil’s Andre Miele had raised hopes of becoming the first Brazilian since Kuerten to win the South American Grade A by reaching the quarterfinals without losing a set, and then disposing of the No.1 seed, Czech Republic’s Dusan Lojda, in the semifinal 63 63. Mayer, the No.4 seed, had faced his toughest opposition en route to the final against another Brazilian, Raony Carvalho, in the quarterfinals, but had come through the test in three sets 67(5) 63 62 and subsequently went from strength to strength. In the semifinals Mayer saw off unseeded Roman Recarte from Venezuela 61 60, before dashing Brazilian hopes with victory over Miele 61 60. Mayer is aware of the importance of winning an ITF Junior Circuit Grade A tournaments:
“I want to follow in the footsteps of the Argentines who have won the Banana Bowl and next year I would like to be in the top 100 rankings as a professional.”
In the meantime, Mayer makes another impressive jump up the ITF Junior Rankings; having started the year with a ranking of 265, four tournament wins, including the Banana Bowl, will push the Argentine into the top 5.
In the girls’ event 14 year-old Sharon Fichman celebrated a double victory, claiming both the singles and doubles titles. The Canadian did not make the best start in the singles final, against unseeded Alexandra Dulghero from Romania, dropping the first set 36, however, Fichman certainly has determination by the bucketload and dug deep to come back and win the match 36 60 75. Like Miele in the boys’ draw, Dulghero had secured her best victory in the semifinal, defeating No.1 seed Dominika Cibulkova from Slovak Repblic 62 46 64.
Fichman teamed up with another Romanian, Bianco Bonifate, to win the doubles with a straight sets victory over No.1 seeds Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) and Nikola Frankova (CZE) 64 64. The boys’ doubles title was won by Venezuelans Piero Luisi and David Navarette who defeated Raony Carvalho (BRA) and Ryan Sweeting (BAH) 63 64.
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