 Photographer: Poa Press
Date: 29 Mar 2007 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 28 Mar 2007 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 28 Mar 2007 |  Photographer: Poa Press
Date: 29 Mar 2007 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 28 Mar 2007 |  Photographer: Poa Press
Date: 29 Mar 2007 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 28 Mar 2007 |  Photographer: Poa Press
Date: 29 Mar 2007 |  Photographer: Poa Press
Date: 29 Mar 2007 |
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| 26 Mar 2007 - ITF - Faye Andrews | |
| Surprise winners at the Grade A Gerdau Cup |
Two surprise winners raised the trophies at the ITF Junior Circuit Grade A Gerdau Cup in Brazil. Vladimir Ignatic from Belarus and France’s Cindy Chala both dashed Brazilian hopes by taking out local players in the boys’ and girls’ finals in the first year that the Gerdau Cup took over Grade A status from the Banana Bowl.
Sixteen year old Ignatic was responsible for the demise of No.1 seed Roman Jebavy in the quarterfinal 36 62 61 before seeing off Brazilian Wild Card Rafael Garcia in the semis. Ignatic’s final opponent, No.2 seed Brazilian Fernando Romboli had to get past No.14 seed David Rice (GBR), No.10 seed Patricio Alvarado (ECU) and No.4 seed Stephane Piro just to make it to the final.
The final turned out to be a topsy-turvy affair, Ignatic started strong to take the first set 61, Romboli fought back to take the second 63 and Ignatic came back in the third to secure the match 63 and take only his second ITF Junior Circuit title.
The girls’ draw almost mirrored the boys’ draw from the quarterfinal stages. Unseeded 15 year old Chala defeated No.1 seed Reka Zsilinska (USA) in the quarterfinal 63 62 and Bejan Jovanovski (SRB) in the semis 63 76(1) before taking on a Brazilian opposition in the final. Second seed Brazilian Roxanne Vaisemberg did not drop a set en route to the final and went into the final as the hot favourite in front of her home crowd.
However, Chala, in her first ITF Junior Circuit final, did not let nerves get the better of her and made a strong start taking the first set 64. Vaisemberg won the second set 64 and a battle ensued for the final set with Chala narrowly edging out the Brazilian for the title 75 in the third.
Vaisemberg got some consolation for herself and the home crowd by winning the girls’ final with Argentina’s Tatiana Bua. The boys’ doubles title went to British pair Dan Cox and David Rice.
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