 Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 13 Oct 2006 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 27 Feb 2007 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 03 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 25 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2006 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 28 Mar 2007 |
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| 18 May 2007 - Helen McFetridge | |
| Grade A Italian Open Preview |
The world’s best juniors take their Roland Garros preparations to Milan next week for the 48th Trofeo Bonfiglio Italian Open. With many of the top ranked players in action, the first Grade A of the year in Europe should be an early indicator of who will be among the Grand Slam favourites.
The boys’ draw is particularly strong this year, with 11 of the world’s top 20 competing. In the absence of world number one and defending champion Jonathan Eysseric (FRA), world number three Fernando Romboli heads the list after some solid performances so far in 2007. The Brazilian has made the final of three of his seven tournaments this year, and was runner-up in the last Grade A to be held on clay, the Copa Gerdau in his home country in March.
Stephane Piro (FRA), the other representative of the top ten at number eight, may be Romboli’s closest challenger. Piro has an impressive claycourt record of 28-5 in 2007, including wins at two Grade 2 events, two runner-up finishes at Grade 1 events and a semi-final place at the Gerdau Cup.
Several other boys have put together notable records on clay this year, suggesting that the boys’ draw may be one of the most open in years. Romboli’s fellow South Americans Ricardo Urzua and Guillermo Rivera, both of Chile, will be at home on clay; both have won tournaments on the surface this year with Urzua claiming the Grade 1 Banana Bowl in March. Europe will also be well represented by Vladimir Ignatik (BLR), winner of the Copa Gerdau, as well as some Italians hoping to do well at their home Grade A. World number 12 Matteo Trevisan leads the Italian challenge and seems to be hitting his best form after winning the Grade 1 Tournoi International de Beaulieu sur Mer last week. At the time of writing he is also still in action at the semi-final stage of the Grade 1 in Santa Croce. World number 21 Thomas Fabbiano, a semi-finalist at the Australian Open, has also won a Grade 1 on clay this year, his coming at the 25th Perin Memorial in Croatia in early April.
American Kellen Damico, ranked 11 in the world, will be seeded third but has been having a difficult year. Injuries and illness have limited him to two tournaments in 2007, and he has not played an ITF tournament on clay since last year’s Roland Garros. Damico did reach the last 16 last year, however, so he clearly has the ability to do well in Milan. The top American may end up being Rhyne Williams, at 16 one of the youngest players in the draw. Williams won the Grade B1 Easter Bowl and was runner-up in the Grade 1 USTA International Spring Championships in his last two tournaments, but is an unknown quantity on red clay.
The girls’ draw has suffered somewhat due to the last-minute withdrawal due to injury of world number one Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS), who would have been the overwhelming favourite had she played. In her absence, her fellow Russian Anastasia Pivovarova will be the top seed. Pivovarova has won the only two ITF junior tournaments she has played in 2007, both Grade 1s, and is currently at her highest world ranking of number four. She also won a $10,000 women’s event on clay recently, so is clearly in the form of her life.
Another Russian will be seeded second in Milan, world number nine Ksenia Pervak. Pervak was runner-up at the Grade A Casablanca Cup at the beginning of the year but has played just one junior tournament since, losing in the quarter-finals of Santa Croce this week.
Two of the younger players in the draw, 14-year-old Tamaryn Hendler (BEL) and Cindy Chala of France, who celebrated her 16th birthday on Thursday, have some of the best claycourt records in 2007. Chala won the Grade A Copa Gerdau in March and was runner-up in Beaulieu sur Mer, while Hendler won the Grade 1 Banana Bowl. Another young player to watch closely is Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal; the youngest player in the main draw at 14 has recently been making news on the WTA Tour and will be looking to add a first Grade A junior title to her record.
Other players who should be in contention for the title include another Russian, Arina Rodionova, and New Zealand’s Sacha Jones. Jones, the third seed, won the Grade 1 USTA International Spring Championships recently and made the last eight in Milan in 2006.
Results, reports and photos will be available every day next week on www.itftennis.com/juniors.
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