 Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 22 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 23 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 23 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 23 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 23 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 23 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 23 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 24 Oct 2009 |
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| 23 Oct 2009 - Marco Massetani | |
| Kubler and Babos cruise into semifinals at Osaka Mayor’s Cup |
It was another day of upsets in boys’ draw at Osaka Major’s Cup, the fourth Junior Grade A event of 2009 after Casablanca Cup, Copa Gerdau and Italian Open. Eighth seed 18-year-old Hiroyasu Ehara from Japan was one of the chief protagonists on Friday’s fifth day of play as he scrapped to a 26 62 75 victory over second seed Liang-Chi Huang from Chinese Taipei.
World n° 56 Ehara – who has reached the quarterfinals in Italian Open, Asian Closed Championship and Optus Nottinghill International (where he beat Swede Daniel Berta in the first round) this year - showed some impressive form as he played progressive, attacking tennis underpinned by his excellent on court speed mobility. In tomorrow’s semi-finals he will meet the one remaining unseeded player in the boys’s draw, Jea Moon Lee from Korea. Lee came through a tough first set before knocking out third seed Pierre Hugues Herbert from France 75 61, recording an historic win.
In the top half of the draw, 16-year-old eleventh seed Jason Murray Kubler from Australia stormed into the semifinals with a sparkling performance in a 60 60 victory over unseeded Jeson Patrombon of The Philippines. Kubler has lost only eleven games across all four rounds at the Osaka Mayor’s Cup, confirming his enormous potential. The young Aussie, trained at National Academy in Brisbane, played an important rule in Australia’s recent success at the Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Finals in San Luis Potosí, México. His semifinal opponent here in Osaka will be ninth seed Yasutaka Uchiyama from Japan, who posted a 36 61 62 victory over compatriot Takeshi Endo.
In the girls’ competition, second seed Timea Babos immediately stamped her authority over her quarterfinals opponent Emi Mutaguchi from Japan. In another excellent performance as she recorded a comfortable 63 60 victory that enthralled the Osakan spectators. Japan Open Champion Babos will play another Japanese player, Sachie Ishizu, in the semifinal. Ishizu sealed a straight sets win, 75 61, over fellow country-woman Akiko Omae. Unseeded 16-year-old Omae has had an excellent year, reaching the quarterfinals at the Copa Gerdau & Banana Bowl, the semifinals in Uruguay, and recently performed well at the Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals.
In the top half of the draw, top seed Kristina Mladenovic from France, playing sixth seed Saisai Zheng (CHN), just squeezed through the first set on a tie-break, but in the second set she looked too strong for the Chinese player, winning 76(0), 62. Mladenovic will face Tamara Curovic from Serbia in the semifinals. Ninth seed Curovic defeated battle Japanese Miyabi Inque in a hard fought three set battle, winning 61 36 64.
In tomorrow’s boys double final, fifth seeded Yasutaka Uchiyama & Hiroyasu Ehara from Japan will play third seeds Pierre Hugues Herbert (FRA) & Cheng-Peng Hsieh (TPE). In the girls doubles, top seeded Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) & Timea Babos (HUN) remain favourites to win the title. They will face Mai Grage (DEN) & Saisai Zheng (CHN) in the final.
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