 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jul 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jul 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jul 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jul 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jul 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jul 2009 |
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| 05 Jul 2009 - Wimbledon - Simon Cambers | |
| Kuznetsov claims junior Wimbledon boys' title |
Andrey Kuznetsov became the first Russian to win the junior boys’ title at Wimbledon for more than 40 years on Sunday when he beat American Jordan Cox 46 62 62.
Cox, who had qualified for the event, took the first set thanks to one break but Kuznetsov roared back to win the title, sinking to his knees as Cox’s forehand drifted long.
“I still can't believe that I made it,” the 18-year-old said. “In the beginning I was very nervous because of the big crowd and this big stadium, so I was nervous.
"I couldn’t show my best in the beginning. I had one break point and didn't use it. But in the second set I relaxed a little and I began to play better, then just used my chances to win this match."
With a world ranking of 557 and a title already under his belt on the Futures circuit, two rungs below the main ATP Tour, Kuznetsov went into the match as the favourite.
However, Cox, who was bidding to be the first qualifier ever to win the title, had not read the script and matched Kuznetsov in the early stages.
The 17-year-old American saved a break point at 4-4 and then forced his first break point in the next game, before snatching his opportunity as Kuznetsov pushed a forehand long.
An upset looked a real possibility at that stage but having served beautifully throughout, Cox began to struggle to find his first serve.
Kuznetsov sensed his chance and after being denied a break at 2-2 when Cox got a lucky net cord, he broke to lead 3-2 and then again two games later before serving out for the set.
By now the Russian was rolling, with his backhand reminiscent of former Russian world No.1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
Cox tried to hang on at the start of the deciding set but Kuznetsov snatched the vital break in the fifth game. That appeared to break Cox’s spirit and two games later, he broke again before serving out for a deserved victory.
Kuznetsov is the first Russian to win the title since Vladimir Korotkov in 1966, and follows in the footsteps of the likes of Pat Cash and Stefan Edberg, both of whom went on to win the senior event.
For Cox, he can console himself with the fact that the legendary Australian Rod Laver, who won the grand slam twice, also lost in the final of the juniors.
“I don’t feel like it now, but I guess that maybe tomorrow on the flight when I look back, I will realise what I have done this week,” he said.
“I just served badly. I haven’t looked at the stats but I am sure that my first-serve percentage was under 40 and that’s not good enough for a grand slam final. That really let me down today.
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