 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jun 2009 |
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| 06 Jun 2009 - Paris, France - Simon Cambers | |
| Junior doubles winners crowned at Roland Garros |
Croatia’s Marin Draganja and Dino Marcan, and the Romanian/Thai combination of Elena Bogdan and Noppawan Lertcheewakarn tasted glory at the French Open on Saturday as they won their respective junior doubles titles.
Draganja and Marcan cruised to the boys’ title with an impressive 63 62 win over fourth seeds Guilherme Clezar of Brazil and Liang-Chi Huang.
Second seeds Bogdan and Lertcheewakarn edged out Timea Babos of Hungary and Briton Heather Watson, the No. 3 seeds, 63 36 10 (8) to win the girls' trophy.
Draganja and Marcan became the first all-Croatian pair to win the boys' title in Paris after an utterly dominant performance.
The two 18-year-olds were never in trouble and their first grand-slam title helped sooth early exits from the singles competition.
Marcan has been practising with Robin Soderling, the men’s singles finalist, and the work clearly paid off.
“He’s maybe the main reason why we’ve been playing so good in doubles lately,” Marcan said.
“After his ball, juniors is pretty slow for me. (Marin) was saying today that we played against two guys who were pretty good at the baseline but I just had a great day and it’s because Soderling’s forehand is so good. “
The pair are set to play doubles in some seniors events later this year, and though singles is the main aim for both of them, winning the title was nice compensation.
“It means a lot,” Draganja said. “We lost pretty soon in the singles and it feels good to stay in the tournament until the end.”
Bogdan and Lertcheewakarn lost the first five games against Babos and Watson but bounced back well to win in a deciding match tiebreak.
The victory gave Bogdan her first grand-slam title while for world champion Lertcheewakarn it was her second, following on from her US Open doubles triumph last September.
Bogdan and Lertcheewakarn made amends for their early exits in the singles event, but they must have feared the worst when they fell 5-0 down in steady rain.
Third seeds Babos and Watson held off a mini-fightback from the No. 2 seeds to take the opening set but Bogdan and Lertcheewakarn then found their form to romp through the second set.
Bogdan and Lertcheewakarn led 4-1 and 8-5 in the deciding match tiebreak, but Babos and Watson pulled them back to 9-8, saving one match point, before Babos sent a backhand long to hand the No.2 seeds victory.
“In the morning we warmed up not so well because it was raining,” Lertcheewakarn said. “They started very well and then we were talking more and we started to lob sometimes and played better.”
Bogdan was understandably delighted to win her first grand slam title.
“I feel great,” she said. “Nopp was a really good doubles partner and I think we played a really good match today. We didn’t start so well but I am glad that we won and am very happy.”
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