 Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 20 May 2005 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 20 May 2005 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 23 May 2005 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 23 May 2005 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 23 May 2005 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 23 May 2005 |
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| 23 May 2005 - Patrick O'Rourke | |
| World Junior Tennis Asia/Oceania Qualifying Report |
China girls upset top seeds Japan and second seeds Australia on successive days to claim top spot at the World Junior Tennis Asia/Oceania qualifying competition in Melbourne, Australia. After winning the deciding doubles to beat Japan 2-1 in the semi-finals China took on Australia in the final. Played at Melbourne Park, home of the Australian Open, the competition gave the young players the opportunity of match play on the show courts used for the Grand Slam. The support of the Australian Open and Tennis Australia in staging the event was much appreciated by all the teams.
Chinese number two Ting Li got her team off to a good start beating Mishma Kumar (AUS) in straight sets to record her fifth straight win of the week. The number one singles between Kristina Pejkovic (AUS) and Yimiao Zhou turned into a three hour marathon. Australia claimed the first set 7-5 but then China struck back taking the second 6-2. Zhou took a 2-0 lead in the third set before Pejkovic forged ahead 4-3. However the Australian’s serve then deserted her as she lost her serve twice to hand China the deciding set 6-4 and first place in the competition.
Australia dominated the boys competition throughout the week beating second seeds Chinese Taipei 2-1 in the final. At number one for Australia Bernard Tomic did not drop a set during the week and with support from Mark Verryth who beat Chinese Taipei number two Chung-Su Chen in straight sets ensured his team had first place wrapped up after the singles. Not to be outdone Chinese Taipei won the doubles rubber in three sets to finish the tie.
Japan and Korea also qualified for the boys and girls finals in the Czech Republic. In the play-offs for third Japan beat Korea in both ties.
In the girls competition Uzbekistan’s number one player Albina Khabibulina went through the week unbeaten as her team claimed fifth spot. It was China and Uzbekistan’s first visit to Melbourne Park in the three years the competition had been held there and these powerful teams helped increase the depth of competition making the 2005 event the toughest so far.
FINAL STANDINGS BOYS
Position Country
1 Australia
2 Chinese Taipei
3 Japan
4 Korea
5 China
6 Phillippines
7 India
8 Thailand
9 Uzbekistan
10 Indonesia
11 New Zealand
12 China Hong Kong
13 Singapore
14 Vietnam
15 Malaysia
16 Sri Lanka
FINAL STANDINGS GIRLS
Position Country
1 China
2 Australia
3 Japan
4 Korea
5 Uzbekistan
6 Thailand
7 Chinese Taipei
8 Indonesia
9 China Hong Kong
10 India
11 Malaysia
12 Sri Lanka
13 New Zealand
14 Singapore
Click here for full results of World Junior Tennis Asia/Oceania Qualifying
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