 Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 23 Jan 2007 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 15 Oct 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 03 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 10 Oct 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2007 |
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| 17 Jan 2008 - Helen McFetridge | |
| Pavlyuchenkova favourite to retain Australian title |
The Australian Open Juniors gets underway on Sunday, with Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova the strong favourite to win her third consecutive title. Pavlyuchenkova has won all but one of the 33 junior matches she has played in Australia, and last year won the Australian Open without dropping a set.
Last year’s runner-up Madison Brengle (USA) could be Pavlyuchenkova’s closest rival again this year. The American’s form dipped slightly in the second half of 2007 as her ranking dropped from four to nine, but as a two-time Grand Slam runner-up she has more experience at this level than any of the other challengers. World number seven Ksenia Lykina (RUS) and number eight Nikola Hofmanova (AUT) could also contend for the title, but both had to retire injured from this week’s Notting Hill International. France’s Cindy Chala, winner of last week’s Grade 1 tournament in Traralgon, also retired in Notting Hill. The state of health of these three players could have a big effect on next week’s events.
Australian hopes will rest with Tyra Calderwood and Jessica Moore. Although Calderwood is currently ranked higher, Moore’s performance in winning a round of the professional tournament should give her plenty of confidence for the junior event. If she can maintain that form, she could well go deep into the tournament.
In contrast to the girls’ event, the boys’ competition has no clear favourite and a plethora of Australians among the seeds. The most prominent among them is 15-year-old Bernard Tomic, who will be aiming to become the youngest ever winner of a junior Grand Slam. At the time of writing Tomic had reached the final of Notting Hill, and although he has never gone beyond the third round of a Grand Slam he has set himself up as one of the strongest contenders for the title. His compatriots and fellow seeds Andrew Thomas, Jared Easton, Matt Reid and Mark Verryth have all performed well on the ITF Junior Circuit, with Easton winning in Traralgon, but none has ever made it to the latter stages of a Grand Slam.
The only player in the draw who has come close to tasting Grand Slam success is Jerzy Janowicz (POL), who defeated Tomic on his way to last year’s US Open final. Cesar Ramirez (MEX) won this year’s first Grade A in Mexico and has been to the quarter-finals of Roland Garros, but did not have impressive results in his two Australian Open warm-up tournaments so there may be a question mark over his form. Daniel Evans (GBR) has also been in the quarters of a Grand Slam but has never won a big tournament, while Ryan Harrison (USA) won the Grade A in Osaka last year but will be playing in just his second ever Grand Slam.
Results, reports and photos will be available every day next week on www.itftennis.com/juniors.
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