 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2008 |
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| 05 Jun 2008 - Roland Garros, Paris - Eleanor Preston | |
| Pella pounds on in Paris |
In-form Argentine Guido Pella surged through to the semi-finals in Paris thanks to a 7-6, 6-3 victory over top seeded Australian Bernard Tomic in the last eight on Thursday. Pella will now play Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz for a place in the final. Tsung-Hua Yang will take on second seed Cesar Ramirez of Mexico in Friday’s other boys’ semi-final.
“For me I played very good, I hit the ball very well and I did everything I could to win,” said Pella after knocking out Tomic. “I play high balls and I’m very happy because it was a difficult match for me. He is the No.2 on the ITF rankings so it’s a good victory for me.
I play my better tennis on clay and he does not move very well on this surface but he played very well and it was very difficult for me to win. When I win matches it’s good because from when I go on court I play better and better and that’s good because I have more confidence with every match I win.”
Tomic took his defeat in good heart and pointed out that he is relatively inexperienced on clay compared to his opponent, who has enjoyed a string of impressive results on the surface in recent weeks, including victory in the Italian Open Grade A event.
“I knew I had to play good to beat Pella. He’s won two Futures titles on clay and he hasn’t lost a match in the last 15, so he was always going to be tough to beat on clay,” said Tomic. “I know he’s good. I started well but I ended up having a lapse. It’s okay, I tried my best in this tournament and the quarters is a good result for me. My favourite surface isn’t clay so coming here I knew I couldn’t have won it. I was willing to give my best. My game isn’t suited to this surface and I’m happy with my performances here.”
The Australian was already looking ahead to Junior Wimbledon in a little over three weeks’ time and says he will prepare for the boys’ Championships by playing an exhibition event in Liverpool before deciding whether to play the traditional Wimbledon warm-up event at Roehampton. He is also scheduled to hit with pros James Blake and Rafael Nadal ahead of competing at SW19. “Here comes Wimbledon,” he said. “My game, since I started playing tennis, has always been suited to faster surfaces because I hit so flat and I don’t think flat works on a clay-court. The guy today showed me that because I was smacking winners from all over the place and he was just smacking them back. I’m pretty sure I can make a good result at Wimbledon. When Wimbledon comes I’ll be well prepared and play well.”
ITF Grand Slam Development Team member Elena Bogdan of Romania set up a semi-final meeting with Slovakian Lenka Jurikova when she beat the top seed in the girls’ draw, Melanie Oudin of the USA 6-4, 6-4. Second seed Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands takes on another Romanian, in-form Simone Halep, in Friday’s other semi-final. “I was born on this surface,” said Bogdan. “I have played only on clay for my whole life. I played two weeks only on hard-courts and all my life has been on clay. It was an advantage today.”
Bogdan was quick to thank the ITF and the Grand Slams for their help in her budding career. “It’s a very important experience and a very nice experience. We are like a family together. We support each other and the coaches are very good,” she said. “I want to thank all the coaches of the team because they support us all very much. It’s so good, it’s great.”
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