 Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 24 Mar 2008 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 24 Mar 2008 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 24 Mar 2008 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 24 Mar 2008 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 24 Mar 2008 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 24 Mar 2008 |
|
| 24 Mar 2008 - Helen McFetridge | |
| Home win for Brazil as Pereira claims Copa Gerdau |
The Copa Gerdau was celebrating a home winner last night as Brazil’s Jose Pereira, the 10th seed, claimed his first Grade A title. The girl’s singles was won by Elena Bogdan (ROU) who, like Pereira, upset the top seed in the final.
Pereira, who had accepted a late wild card into the tournament, had been on top form during this year’s South American clay court circuit. The 17-year-old had been a semi-finalist at the Inka Bowl in Peru, a winner at the Condor de Plata in Bolivia and again at the Asuncion Bowl in Paraguay, before reaching the semi-finals at home in Brazil in the Banana Bowl. With a record like this, although only seeded ten he was among the Copa Gerdau’s pre-tournament favourites. Pereira also benefited from the upsets of several seeds in his half of the draw, with his only seeded victim en route to the final being 16th seed Niall Angus (GBR).
In the final he met top seed Marcelo Arevalo (ESA), who had given him one of his rare defeats of the season in the Inka Bowl semis. The first set couldn’t have been closer, with Pereira edging it on a tie-break, but the second was all one-way traffic as the Brazilian swept it 61 to claim his first Grade A title and delight the home supporters.
Like Pereira, Romania’s Elena Bogdan had already tasted success on the South American clay court circuit, having won the Grade 2 Uruguay Bowl. After upsetting second seed and defending champion Cindy Chala (FRA) in the quarter-finals, Bogdan came from the brink of defeat to beat third seed Johanna Konta (AUS) 16 76 62 to set up a final encounter against top seed Bojana Jovanovski (SRB). Jovanovski was searching for her first Grade A title, after finishing runner-up in last year’s Italian Open. Bogdan, the fifth seed, got off to a fast start, winning the first set 61. The top seed didn’t give up, however, and hit back to claim the second 62. Bogdan would not be denied, raising her game again in the third and taking it 61 for her biggest ever win on the ITF Junior Circuit.
It was a bad day overall for Jovanovski, as she and her Romanian partner Alexandra Damaschin also lost the doubles final, 64 60 to Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) and Maryna Zanevska (UKR). The boys’ doubles title was also claimed by France, as Guillaume Rufin and Axel Michon teamed up to defeat Argentinean pair Andrea Collarine and Ignacio Martire 61 62.
^ Back to Top
|
