 Photographer: Francesco Panunzio
Date: 23 May 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 03 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jul 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 11 Aug 2005 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 03 Jan 2007 |
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| 07 Dec 2007 - Helen McFetridge | |
| Dimitrov ousts Ignatik to keep Berankis hopes alive |
Ricardas Berankis’s slim hopes of overtaking Uladzimir Ignatik for the year-end world number one spot are still intact today after Ignatik crashed out of the Orange Bowl. The Belarussian, who has occupied top position in the rankings since winning Roland Garros in June, fell for the second time in two weeks to Grigor Dimitrov (BUL). Dimitrov’s win means that if Berankis can win the Orange Bowl, he will overtake Ignatik in the rankings with one tournament left to play.
Berankis had a three-set win over 13th seed Yuki Bhambri (IND), and will next face American wild card Chase Buchanan, who beat him last week at the Eddie Herr. Buchanan also took three sets to defeat qualifier Milos Raonic (CAN).
Americans will be in action in two of the other quarter-finals, as 14th seed Jarmere Jenkins defeated Alexey Grigorov (RUS) 64 61 and 15th seed Ryan Harrison, winner of the Grade A Osaka Mayor’s Cup, scored a minor upset when he beat 4th seed Ricardo Urzua-Rivera (CHI) 64 63. Jenkins will now take on number 12 seed Gastao Elias of Portugal, winner of last week’s Eddie Herr, while Harrison faces 9th seed Jerzey Janowicz (POL).
At the top of the draw, Dimitrov’s 62 64 win over Igantik takes him into a quarter-final with eighth seed Radu Albot (MDA), who knocked out the top-ranked American Rhyne Williams in three sets.
The girls’ competition is providing slightly less drama this year, with Urszula Radwanska (POL) having already clinched the year-end top ranking and the top seeds making it through comfortably to the quarter-final stage. Radwanska, like second seed and defending champion Nikola Hofmanova (AUT) and third seed Ksenia Pervak (RUS) has yet to drop a set in the tournament, although she was pushed hard in the second set by American wild card Coco Vandeweghe before winning 61 75.
Fourth seed Madison Brengle (USA) was the highest seed to fall, as she succumbed to illness after taking the lead against her compatriot Mallory Cecil, seeded 15, and eventually retired when trailing 04 in the third set. Two other Americans remain with Cecil in the top half of the draw, with Melanie Oudin continuing to be the most impressive. Her 61 60 win over Christina McHale was her 25th in a row, and her quarter-final encounter with Radwanska promises to be one of the matches of the tournament. Cecil will face wild card Alison Riske in the last eight, after Riske came through against yet another American, Kristy Frilling, 75 in the third.
In the bottom half of the draw, the biggest upset was the 62 06 62 win by unseeded Arantxa Rus (NED) over 11th seed Katarzyna Piter (POL). Rus next plays Ksenia Pervak, who has dropped just six games in three matches and was ruthless in a 62 60 win over 16th seed Tanya Raykova (BUL). Hofmanova will play Michelle Larcher de Brito (POR), the 9th seed, for a place in the semi-finals.
To view all the draws at this year’s Orange Bowl please click here
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