 Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 17 May 2005 |  Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 17 May 2005 |  Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 17 May 2005 |  Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 17 May 2005 | | |
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| 17 May 2005 - Helen McFetridge | |
| Young crashes out in Milan |
The Italian Open got underway with a shock yesterday as top seed and world number one Donald Young was comprehensively beaten 6-1 6-2 by Russian Pavel Chekhov. Chekhov, who lists clay as his favourite surface, never gave his more illustrious opponent a chance as he dominated the encounter from start to finish. It was a difficult start to the junior clay court season for Young, and he was unlucky to draw the 46th-ranked Chekhov in his first match. Nevertheless, he will be hoping to improve his form in time for the French Open, which starts in two weeks' time.
Number four seed in the boys’ event Andre Miele (BRA) didn’t fare any better than Young, managing to win only two games against Denmark’s Martin Pedersen. Third seed Sergei Bubka (UKR), one of the in-form players after winning last week’s Grade 1 event in Santa Croce, was made to struggle by American Leo Rosenberg before eventually coming through 6-2 2-6 6-4. Number two Leonardo Mayer (ARG) had no such problems, however, easing past Great Britain’s Myles Blake 6-1 6-2. Mayer, who celebrated his 18th birthday on Sunday, is a true clay-court specialist who will be tough to stop in this tournament.
Other boys’ seeds to fall on the first day were number 11 Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, who went down 4-6 4-6 to lucky loser Mehdi Bouabbane (ALG) and number 16 Kellen Damico, who lost a tough three-set battle to his fellow American Matt Bruch 6-4 5-7 4-6. Italian favourite Andrea Arnaboldi, playing in his birthplace of Milan, had no problems getting past his fellow countryman Matteo Trevisan and next plays another Italian, wild card Alessio Abbondanzieri.
The top seeds in the girls’ event fared better than their male counterparts, with the top four all making it through to the second round. Top seed Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) encountered some difficulty against French qualifier Louise Doutrelant, having to come back from a set down to win 3-6 6-4 6-4. Second seeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova had an easier time of it against Katerina Vankova (CZE), winning 6-0 6-4, and number three Caroline Wozniacki was not troubled at all by Italian wild card Cristina Greco, sweeping her aside without losing a game.
Other Italian wild cards had more impressive results than Greco, however, with several beating higher ranked players to go through to the second round. Roxana Vaideanu, ranked 1439, provided the upset of the day as she defeated sixth seeded Canadian Sharon Fichman 7-6(2) 1-6 6-2. Fichman was one of the pre-tournament favourites, having won the last Grade A on clay in Brazil, but that counted for nothing as Vaideanu made home advantage count and booked her place in round two. Erika Zanchetta, ranked 470, was not far behind in the achievement stakes as she knocked out 16th seeded American Julia Cohen 6-0 2-6 6-1. Zanchetta beat world number 9 Caroline Wozniacki last week in the Grade 1 event in Santa Croce, so she is obviously hitting top form at the right time. 81st-ranked Corinna Dentoni also upset a seed, beating number 15 Polona Rebersak (SLO) 7-6(8) 6-3.
Other upsets of the day were provided by lucky loser Yvette Hyndman (USA), who knocked out ninth seed Amina Rakhim (KAZ), and Canadian Melanie Gloria, who made surprisingly light work of fifth seeded Czech Nikola Frankova, beating her 6-4 6-0.
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