 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 31 May 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 28 Jan 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 28 Jun 2008 |
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| 26 Jun 2009 - ITF - James Harrisson | |
| Junior Wimbledon Preview |
Junior Roland Garros Champions Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) and Daniel Berta (SWE) lead strong fields going into the 2009 Junior Championships at Wimbledon.
Mladenovic heads to the All England Club having won the Grade 1 warm-up event in Roehampton and is the clear favourite to add to her Grand Slam tally. However, reigning champion Laura Robson (GBR), who took Daniel Hantuchova to three sets in the womens’ main draw, will not give up her crown without a fight and is the first in a long line of opponents looking to disrupt the French World No.1’s plans.
Olivia Rogowska (AUS), who lost to Mladenovic in the Roehampton final also looks at home on the grass and, with a WTA ranking of 260, looks set to progress deep into the draw. Ana Bogdan (ROU) reached the semifinals at the Australian Open this year but has won just one match on grass during her otherwise illustrious junior career. Junior World Champion Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (THA) will also be a threat, having reached the final in 2008 and the semifinals of Roehampton, but still without a junior Grand Slam title to her name.
Amongst the other leading contenders in the girls’ event are Italian Open champion Sloane Stephens (USA), Timea Babos (HUN), who has three titles to her name this year, and Casablanca Cup champion Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO).
World No.3 Berta had a successful campaign in Asia prior to his victory in Paris, but has been inconsistent throughout the year and is an unknown quantity on grass. Liang-Chi Huang (TPE), like Berta, did well in Asia, picking up two titles, but has a 3-5 win/loss record over the last six weeks in Europe.
Bernard Tomic (AUS) won the Australian Open in 2008 and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, but has played sparingly in juniors this year. His ATP ranking of 358 makes him a contender. Argentine trio Agustin Velotti, Andrea Collarini and Facundo Arguello have all tasted significant success this year and will all believe they have the game to claim this prestigious title.
Other pretenders to the boys’ crown are Roland Garros finalist Gianni Mina (FRA), Casablanca Cup champion Julen Uriguen (GUA), Roehampton champion Devin Britton (USA) and Asian Closed champion Shuichi Sekiguchi (JPN).
For daily articles and results visit www.itftennis.com/juniors
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