 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2006 |
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| 05 Jun 2006 - Roland Garros, Paris - Eleanor Preston | |
| Nishikori gets revenge on Sidorenko |
Japan’s Kei Nishikori took impressively ruthless revenge on his Australian Open conqueror Alexandre Sidorenko at Roland Garros on Tuesday, beating the third-seeded Frenchman 6-4, 6-0 to earn a place in the second round of the juniors.
In what was a difficult first round draw for both boys, Nishikori came through a tight first set romp away with the match in the second to reverse the result of January’s clash at the junior Australian Open. On that occasion Nishikori blew what had been a commanding lead after rain delayed the match for more than four hours. Four months on and in warm bright sunshine, he managed to finish the job he had started in Melbourne.
“I learned a lot from that match,” said 16-year-old Nishikori. “This time I played a lot more aggressively. In Melbourne I won the first set really easily but then I started to play really defensively and I stopped hitting the ball. This time I hit more forehands and that worked very well.”
Nishikori has been playing Futures events in South America in the lead in to Roland Garros and said that the experience he gleaned there helped him when it came to taking on Sidorenko again. “You can’t be defensive in the men’s game- you have to go for it. I think mentally I am stronger coming into this tournament because of what I learned in the pros.”
Having knocked out a seeded player, Nishikori should now see his path to the latter rounds eased somewhat and believes that his confidence-boosting win over Sidorenko should fire him on. “It was tough not being seeded and having such a difficult first round but now I feel like I’ve had to deal with pressure straight away and so I’m ready.”
Top seed Thiemo DeBakker eased through to a 6-2, 6-2 win over India’s Jeevan Neduncherhiyan while American Donald Young joined him in the third round with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Chilean qualifier Ricardo Urzua-Rivera. France’s Kevin Botti – who was instrumental in France’s victory in last year’s Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas – slumped to defeat at his home grand slam, losing 7-5, 6-1 to Portugal’s Pedro Sousa.
Seventh seed Sanam Singh of India is also out, beaten 6-2, 7-5 in the second round by Martin Klizan of Slovakia.
In the girls’ event, Australian Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki put in another assured performance to seal her third round berth. The Danish teenager, seeded five, beat Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania 6-2, 6-3.
“I hadn’t played for three weeks coming into this tournament so yesterday felt a bit like a practice match,” explained Wozniacki. “Today I was a lot more intense.”
Wozniacki had some good news before coming to Roland Garros. The 15-year-old sat her exams a few weeks ago and seems to be quite the academic if her results are anything to go by. “I did really well, I got straight As in English, Danish and Maths,” said Wozniacki, who will have more results waiting for her when she gets home. “I have a French exam after Roland Garros so I’m hoping to gets lots of practice by talking to people in French here. It’s like being in class every day while I’m here!”
There was one upset in the girls’ event when fourth seed Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland was stunned in the first round by Dominice Ripoll, a qualifier from Germany. Ripoll beat Bacsinszky 7-6, 6-4. French favourite Alize Cornet and top seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova both progressed without any problems.
For previous days reports from the Roland Garros 2006, please click here.
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