Turkish qualifier upsets Pole in Tokyo
AN EARLY upset on day one saw Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez take out seventh seed Magdalena Frech to reach the second round of the WTA 500 event in Tokyo. Sonmez – ranked 148th in the world – defeated Frech 1-6 6-4 6-3, coming back from the brink to post the victory in an hour and […]
WTA Tour winners: Lamens storms to maiden title
DUTCH qualifier Suzan Lamens is officially a WTA Tour title winner after defeating fellow qualifier Kimberly Birrell in a comprehensive 72-minute rout at the Japan Open overnight. Lamens had a tournament to remember, with the world number 125 ending up favourite in the final despite being a qualifier, destroying Birrell 6-0 6-4. There was always […]
Around the Tour: Upstaged in Antwerp; upsets galore
THERE was no shortage of upsets across multiple ATP and WTA Tour events overnight, but the major results came in Antwerp where three of the lower ranked players took out the top three seeds. In what was a dismantling day, number one seed Alex de Minaur, number two seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and number three seed […]
Around the Tour: Saito strikes in Osaka
PROMISING Japanese teenager Sara Saito is through to the quarter finals on WTA debut in her home tournament. The 18-year-old and former junior world number two upset talented fifth seed Elina Avanesyan to book her place in the last eight of the WTA Tour Japan Open. Saito had to work hard early, saving two set […]
Around the Tour: Saito strikes on debut in Osaka
JAPANESE teenager Sara Saito had a WTA Tour debut to remember, picking up an upset win over Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in Osaka overnight. The junior girls world number two earned a wildcard into the WTA 250 event and played her first main draw match against the 22-year-old world number 62, coming away with the […]
Joint makes Aussie history with Burnie title
AUSSIE teenager Maya Joint became the youngest Australian to win an ITF W75 title over the weekend, with the 17-year-old saluting in a come-from-behind win over Japan’s Aoi Ito in Burnie. Joint, who punched well above her weight throughout the tournament – her second consecutive tournament at the venue – finished off strongly to win, […]
ITF Juniors wrap: Samsonova reaches quarters in Monastir
CZECH 15-year-old Laura Samsonova headlines the ITF Juniors wrap for the first week of February after the 2008-born young gun reached the quarter finals of the W15 event in Monastir. Turning 16 in March, the Junior Girls’ world number four picked up a couple of wins along the way, including a double-bagel of another youngster. […]
Building a Tennis Nation: Japan
ONE of the more dominant tennis nations through the Australian Open Junior tournament was Japan, with top seeded players in both the boys’ and girls’ singles events. Though highlighted by 193cm Rei Sakamoto who took out the boys title, the powerful serving talent was far from alone when it came to his nation with eight […]
Junior Jones aims to emulate Barty Party
MELBOURNE Park might well reach fever pitch today when Australian Emerson Jones takes to Rod Laver Arena for the Junior Girls Singles final. The 15-year-old is the first Aussie girl to reach a Junior Grand Slam final since former world number one Ash Barty and the comparisons do not end there. The Queensland teenager took […]
Berkieta blasts Brazilian in second round win
POLISH teenager Tomasz Berkieta blasted his way into the record books with a hard-fought three-set win over Brazilian Enzo Kohlmann De Frietas to reach the third round of the Australian Open Junior Boys’ Singles. The third seeded serving machine – who reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park 12 months ago – recorded a whopping 233 […]
