 Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 23 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 25 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 25 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 25 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 26 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 26 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 26 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 26 Jan 2007 |
|
| 26 Jan 2007 - Melbourne, Australia - Eleanor Preston |  Related Audio |
| Klein and Eysseric bid for glory in Melbourne |
 ITF JUNIOR RADIO AO 07 (MP3 format)
Madison Brengle interview on AO radio - courtesy of www.australianopen.com (MP3 format)
An interview with Jonathan Eysseric (MP3 format)
An Interview with Brydan Klein (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.
Australian Brydan Klein and France’s Jonathan Eysseric will meet in the Australian Open boys’ final on Saturday, knowing that a debut junior grand slam title is within reach. Top seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is one match away from defending the title she won in Melbourne a year ago. The Russian will meet the USA’s Madison Brengle in the girls’ final.
Klein earned his place in his home junior grand slam final with a 61 64 semifinal victory over Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis, who is a member of the ITF’s Development Team. Eysseric booked his berth in the final by coming through a bruising encounter with talented Italian Thomas Fabbiano 64 61.
“It’s never comfortable when you are playing a semifinal,” said Klein. “At the end of the first set I was comfortable because he was a bit nervous but I knew I had to tighten things up for second set because anything can happen once the scoreboard goes to nil-all again at the start of a new set. Towards the end I got a bit tight because I knew how close I was to the final and I really wanted to get there.” Klein was saved from his bout of nerves by his trusty serve, a weapon which has won him countless free points during his progress through the draw. “A few of the Australian guys have reliable serves. I probably hit it a bit bigger than some of the European guys who rely on their groundstrokes a little bit more,” he said.
Klein and Eysseric met at the Australian Open warm-up event in Nottinghill last week but, though Eysseric won through that encounter, but the French teenager denied that it would give him any advantage when they meet on the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday afternoon. “I think this will be a tough match to play him in Australia, in the Rod Laver Arena. I think we are both favourites so it should be a good match. It’s unbelievable for me in juniors to have the experience of playing there but even if it was court 20 I will try my best.”
Eysseric says he is most pleased with his consistency this week in Melbourne. “This is good for me because last year I played well one week and then I lost in the first week the next week. I’m happy that I won last week and I am in the final this week,” said Eysseric, who is being supported by his manager and his father Didier. “My mum didn’t come because it’s expensive to come with my brother but she watches the match on the internet. She gets nervous. It was four in the morning when I played here so she has had no sleep but she didn’t mind!”
The 2007 Australian Open junior doubles champions were decided on Friday, with Great Britain’s Graeme Dyce and Finnish partner Harri Heliovarra picking up their first junior grand slam trophy with a 62 76 63 win over Australian Stephen Donald and India’s Rupesh Roy. Russians Evgeniya Rodina and Arina Rodionova beat Poland’s Urzsula Radwanska and American Julia Cohen 26 63 61 to win the girls’ title.
“This is the big one. This is unbelievable,” said Dyce, who was playing only his third tournament with Heliovarra. “After winning this one, I think we should play together wherever we can. Obviously we'll be playing different tournaments but at Roland Garros we'll definitely be playing together.”
Related Articles
Pavlyuchenkova and Cornet face off in final four
Klein KOs Klizan
Botti Topples Tomic in Melbourne
Tomic and Holland take home advantage
Milevskaya dodges defeat and rain clouds
Australian Open Preview
^ Back to Top
|
