 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 03 Sep 2007 |
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| 05 Sep 2007 - Flushing Meadows, New York - Eleanor Preston |  Related Audio |
| Berankis bursts into last 16 |
 An Interview with Ricardas Barankis (MP3 format)
An Interview with Coco Vandeweghe (MP3 format)
 
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Ricardas Berankis seems to be feeling more and more at home at Flushing Meadows with every passing match. The 17-year-old Lithuanian put in another accomplished performance at the US Open junior tournament to beat American wildcard Alex Domijan 6-0, 6-2 and move through to the third round.
Berankis, who was born in Vilnius, has already been a semi-finalist in two junior grand slams this year – he reached the last four at the Australian Open and Wimbledon – and seems to be on course for another run to the latter stages in New York. “I like playing here very, very much. I like all the grand slams but here I like a lot. I think this is my favourite,” he said. “It’s like everybody applauds for you and that is a very nice, it gives you a nice feeling. It would mean a lot to me to do well here. It’s a big tournament.”
Berankis, who beat another American wildcard, James Seal, in the previous round, certainly looked in great form against Domijan. “I started the match very well, with like two aces which is maybe the first time in my life that’s happened,” he said, with a laugh. “Then I could handle my concentration and it was a good match. I played very well. My goals were to be consistent and I’m trying to make them. I think I’m doing a good job so far.”
In the girls’ draw, Belarussian Ksenia Milevskaya’s challenge for the title seems to be gathering momentum. Milevskaya made short work of Great Britain’s Jade Curtis with a 6-2, 6-1 second round win. Australia’s Jessica Moore and reigning girls’ Wimbledon champion Urszula Radwanska are also through to the third round.
It has been a mixed tournament so far for the American contingent but one player who is delighted with her form so far at her home grand slam is Californian Coco Vandeweghe, who beat 14th seed Elena Chernyakova of Russia 7-6, 6-0 to move through to round three. “It’s my first US Open and I’m doing well in singles,” said Vandeweghe. “The round of 16 is pretty good for me. I didn’t really set a goal, I just came in looking to win all my matches and whatever happens is fine with me. It’s definitely an important tournament, we’re in the United States and we’re playing at home. I didn’t quite know if I was going to play it or not because I had to get the wildcard from the USTA and I was just hoping and seeing. Now I can’t just waste an opportunity like that. You have to play to your fullest – there’s no time to mess around.”
Vandeweghe’s unusual first name has also drawn its fair share of comments but she does not seem to mind, especially when fans shout it during matches. “I do get a lot of comments,” she said, with a smile. “I actually got given Coco Chanel No.5 perfume when I was born so that’s my lucky perfume. It’s actually a nickname though - everyone in my family goes by a nickname - my real name is Colleen!”
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