 Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 27 Jan 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 27 Jan 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 27 Jan 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 27 Jan 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 26 Jan 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 26 Jan 2009 |
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| 27 Jan 2009 - Melbourne, Australia - Eleanor Preston | |
| Bhambri brings the heat to Melbourne Park |
India’s Yuki Bhambri is showing no signs whatsoever of wilting in the fierce heat of the Antipodean summer. The Australian Open’s top seed was a convincing 76 60 winner over local hope Stephen Hoh and afterwards sounded bullish about his chances of winning a debut junior grand slam title at Melbourne Park.
“It’s an honour to be the No.1 seed in the Australian Open,’ said Bhambri. “It probably gives me extra motivation to do well in the tournament because I know I’m the favourite and probably one of the best right now in the world, so I’m actually looking forward to it I think I’m currently the best player in the draw. I’ve done well and I believe in myself,” said Bhambri. “I’ve definitely felt much better from the first day onwards. I think I was a bit nervous in the first match. It’s been really hot but I’ve been coping quite well; I’ve been serving great and moving well on the court and feeling good. I think playing these juniors slams is probably the next step to the senior level. You are playing with your own age group and it’s altogether a different pressure playing with kids your own age and your own size. When you are younger and you play the men’s circuit there is no pressure on you to do well. I think it’s a good atmosphere in the juniors and a good experience”, said Bhambri.
Bhambri is charged with satisfying the hopes of his sports mad nation and is hoping to follow in the footsteps of national idols like cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and WTA Tour player Sania Mirza in becoming another accomplished sports stars for the two billion-plus population to cheer. “I haven’t had a chance to interact with Sania or the cricketers but I think it’s really important to focus your mind on the tennis and other things will follow. I don’t really think about the interest in me back home. Obviously you are aware of it but you just try and focus on the tennis.
The teenager seems to be enjoying his Australian Open experience so far and says he is delighted to find himself alongside the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the first grand slam of the season. “I’ve seen a few of the big names around, just rubbing shoulders I guess. You see them every day on TV and then you see them practice and you really hope to be like them one day. Like I say, it’s an honour to be playing at any of the grand slams.”
Temperatures at Melbourne Park rose on Tuesday while forecasters are suggesting a run of four 40-plus degree days, which could play havoc with the scheduling of junior matches. The Australian Open’s Extreme Heat Policy – which applies in junior matches – states that matches on outside courts can be suspended when the referee decrees that the Wet Globe Temperature is too high for play to safely continue. Umpires do also have the option in junior matches of allowing a ten-minute break between second and third sets if necessary.
Bhambri’s female counterpart, girls’ top seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand, showed no ill effects from the challenging conditions, easing past Quirine Lemoine of Belgium 63 62. Other title contenders Kristina Mladenovic of France, Elena and Ana Bogdan of Romania and junior Wimbledon champion Laura Robson of Great Britain all moved safely through to the third round.
“I was lucky to play in the morning because I know that it’s definitely going to get a lot hotter during the day. I tried to keep cool, putting the ice bag on during the changeover and everything, so it wasn’t too bad,” said Robson, seeded fifth, who fought from 1-5 down in the first set to beat Kanyapat Narattana 63 76.
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