 Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 24 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 25 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 24 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 25 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 21 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 23 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 25 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 23 Jan 2007 |
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| 25 Jan 2007 - Melbourne, Australia - Eleanor Preston |  Related Audio |
| Pavlyuchenkova and Cornet face off in final four |
 ITF JUNIOR RADIO SHOW THURSDAY (MP3 format)
An interview with Brydan Klein (MP3 format)
An Interview with Ricardas Barankis (MP3 format)
An Interview with Alize Cornet (MP3 format)
 
If you cannot play the audio on your computer, then you can update your media player by following one of the links above.
Defending champion and World No.1 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia and France’s teenage sensation Alize Cornet will headline a stellar semifinal line-up at Melbourne Park.
The USA’s Madison Brengle and Belarussian Ksenia Milevskaya will play off in the other girls’ Australian Open semifinal. Australia’s Brydan Klein plays Lithuanian Ricardas Barankis and second seed Jonathan Eysseric of France takes on Italy’s Thomas Fabbiano in the boys’ semifinal.
Pavlyuchenkova must get a sense of déjà vu as she continues her progress at Melbourne Park, where she won the singles and doubles titles last year to earn her debut junior grand slam trophies. There is no doubt that she feels at home the moment she sets foot on Melbourne Park’s Rebound Ace courts but she insists that it is no mystery as to why she plays so well in Australia. “I think it’s not secret, I just practiced and prepared well for this tournament,” said Pavlyuchenkova, who beat Austria’s Nikola Hofmanova 64 63. “It’s a little bit of pressure playing here because it’s the second year, I won last year and I need to confirm this result. I try not to pay attention to it because I need to play more; I need to grow up a bit. I do get extra confidence from being defending champion, it helps me because opponents go on court and think about it. Many years ago when I was nobody I was thinking like that so know it happens. I don’t think like that anymore because are all people, it doesn’t matter where you are ranked. Everybody can beat everybody. But then I do sometimes think: ‘come on, you won this last year’, and it is extra motivation.”
Pavlyuchenkova will not be taking Cornet lightly, having watched the 17-year-old French girl’s efforts in successfully qualifying for the main draw of the Australian Open women’s event. “The juniors are pretty strong and they are fighting and they good players (but) like me she also became a pro player already and she has lots of experience,” she said. “Tomorrow is going to be a tough match. She is a clever girl and her tennis is good. I need to play well.”
Cornet earned her place in the last four with an emphatic 60 63 victory over the USA’s Chelsey Gullickson but afterwards she admitted beating the American was not nearly as easy as she made it look. “It just seems an easy match because I know her and I know that she could play really well because she beat me last year. That made me focus. I’m proud of my match today. It seems an easy match but I really did something to make it easy,” she said. “When you are in the semi you can always see the final but she is not No.1 for nothing. I will play my game and be a fighting girl like usual and we will see. My experience will help me against Pavlyuchenkova because I have played against really good players in the qualifying rounds here of the women’s. I’m really happy because I played well in seniors and I played well in juniors and that means that I can be flexible.”
On the boys’ side, Klein was delighted with his progress at his home grand slam but said that he was expecting a tough encounter against Berankis, who is part of the ITF’s Development Team. “I played him this time last year but he wasn’t really into the seniors, I won but I was really impressed with him,” said Klein. “He was a good little player then but he’s obviously come on a lot since then. The home crowd will definitely help. It helped me through my first few matches when I was nervous – it helped me get up early. Obviously today they were a bit neutral but they should help me for the rest of the tournament”
Klein beat good friend and fellow Australian Greg Jones in their quarter-final. “It was difficult. He’s one of my best mates and I’ve travelled with him a lot,” admitted Klein, who hails from the Western Australian city of Perth. “It can sometimes get a bit fiery on court because we’re mates. He was a bit upset afterwards but I’m sure he’ll be okay tomorrow.”
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