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Aude Vermoezen (BEL)
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Vivek Shokeen (IND)
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Amina Rakhim (KAZ)
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Tamira Paszek (AUT)
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Emiliano Massa (ARG)
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2005
28 Jun 2005 - AELTC, Wimbledon - Eleanor Preston
Azarenka Ready For Wimbledon Success
Top seed Viktoria Azarenka says perfect preparation may be the key to adding Wimbledon to the Australian Open girls’ title she won in January.

The Belarussian, who moved through to the third round on Tuesday courtesy of a 63 61 win over Amina Rakhim of Kazakhstan, spent long hours with her coach sharpening up her grass court game before beginning her Wimbledon champion.

“I think I have all the possibilities to achieve my goal because I have worked really hard with my coach,” said Azarenka. “I worked on my serve, my approach shots, my volleys – all the things you need for grass. Now I just need to put it into practice.”

Azarenka did that in some style against Rakhim, despite making a slow start, and will be hoping to make equally smooth progress when she takes on Georgia’s Anna Tatishvili in the next round. Tatishvili knocked out 15th seed Vania King with a 64 64 victory.

“This is a really great opportunity for me,” said Azarenka, whose match was watched by the same group of fans that watched her thrilling Wimbledon quarter-final against Nicole Vaidisova. “I was really surprised that they remembered me but it was so nice of them to cheer for me. Doing well at Wimbledon means people take notice and it is also great for my game to get grass-court experience. Playing at Wimbledon is a totally different experience to all the other grand slams. With all the stewards in uniforms and the formality, it feels like you have to behave properly here and the people that come to watch expect you to play great tennis. It’s inspiring.”

Romanian Roland Garros runner-up Raluca Olaru is out of the tournament in the second round after being ambushed 62 62 by Austria’s Tamira Paszek. Paszek plays eleventh seed Marina Erakovic next after the New Zealander beat Evgeniya Rodina of Russia 63 63.

Fourteenth seed Monica Niculescu also bowed out on Tuesday, beaten 60 75 by Poland’s Agnieska Radwanska in what was only Niculescu’s second competitive match on grass.

Second seed and Roland Garros champion Agnes Szavay avoided a similar fate but needed to come through a testing three-setter, beating Italy’s Astrid Besser 64 57 61 to set up a third round clash with Alexa Glatch of the USA.

Third seeded American Jessica Kirkland was critical of her performance against Aude Vermoezen, despite beating the Belgian 67 64 62.

“I’m just very happy to get through that one because I wasn’t that happy with the way I played,” said Kirkland, who plays Czech Katerina Kramperova next. “I need to start stronger in my matches. I competed well, though, and I’m through, and that’s the important thing. It takes a while to get used to grass but I feel like I’m getting better.”

In the boys’ competition, Thiemo De Bakker of the Netherlands battled through to the third round with a 75 46 61 win over Vivek Shokeen of Indonesia. Second seed Donald Young, who is bidding to win his second junior grand slam title of the year after his victory at the Australian Open in January, beat Ireland’s Tristan Farron-Mahon 61 64.

Young will now play compatriot Jesse Levine, who knocked out 16th seed David Navarrete of Venezuela with a 63 36 64 upset win.

Third seed Leonardo Mayer made smooth progress to the third round, beating America’s Michael Shabaz 62 76.

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