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| 23 Mar 2008 - ITF - James Harrisson | |
| Final line-ups decided in Porto Alegre |
Top seed Bojana Jovanovski reached her first final in almost a year with a three set victory over Romanian fourth seed Ana Bogdan. The world No.7, who reached three consecutive finals in Italy last summer, picking up one title, came from a set behind to beat Banana Bowl champion Bogdan 46 63 60.
In the final Jovanovski will face another Bogdan: fifth seeded Elena. In her opening three matches Bogdan dropped just 11 games but was really made to fight to make her first final since winning the Grade 2 Uruguay Bowl in February. Having overcome defending champion Cindy Chala in three sets in the quarterfinals Bogdan faced Australian Johanna Konta for a place in the final. Konta had reached the last four with relative ease and was yet to drop a set in the competiton. So, when Konta claimed the first set for the loss of just one game, it looked like business as usual. However, Bogdan dug deep and levelled the match in a tiebreak before going on to claim victory, 16 76(2) 62.
Top seed Marcelo Arevalo from El Salvador made it through to the final of the boys’ event with a convincing win over third seeded Argentine Juan Vazquez-Valenzuela. Having got off to a slow start in his quarterfinal against Rafael Camilo (BRA), a match which he evenutually won 26 62 61, Inka Bowl champion Arevalo was quick out of the blocks against Vazquez-Valenzuela and gained momentum throughout the match, winning 64 61.
Arevalo will face another potentially tough opponent in the final as he comes up against Brasilian wildcard Jose Pereira. Since losing to Arevalo in the semifinals of the Inka Bowl earlier this year, tenth seed Pereira won the Grade 2 Condor de Plata tournament in Bolivia and the Grade 1 Asuncion Bowl in Paraguay, as well as making the seminfinals last week at the Banana Bowl. He will go into the final full of confidence that he can gain revenge against Arevalo and end an already impressive South American campaign with yet another trophy.
For further information and to view the draws visit www.copagerdau.com.br
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