15th January 2007
Australia shuffles the rankings
by Rose Mather
The summer ITFs in Australia are shuffling the world junior rankings like a pack of cards and you cannot help wondering who will come out ahead after the stint Down Under is over.

After last week's Loy Yang Traralgon event, boy's semifinalist, Martin Klizan SVK retook the number one position from Jonathan Eysseric FRA, who fell in the second round, but only 46 points separate them you never know who could be top dog by next week. Yan Bai CHN made a hefty leap from 29 to 15 after reaching the final, and lost in a respectable 6-3; 6-3 to 3rd world ranked, Roman Jebavy CZE. Meantime, Thomas Fabbiano ITA slid up from 14 to 11 after reaching semifinals in both singles and doubles, Graeme Dyce GBR darted from 58 to 44 and Andrew Thomas AUS moved from 66 to 53.

As you know, unseeded Jasmina Tinjic CRO won the girl's event after surprising defending champion and world number one, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS, in the semifinals. Jasmina's efforts were well rewarded when she entered the top 100 for the first time, landing in at number 70. Meanwhile, Jasmina's doubles partner, Natasa Zoric SCG zapped from 80 to 71 and girl's semifinal and doubles winner, Arina Rodionova RUS reached a career high berth of 36.

Not all the action is in Australia. The South American COSAT event in Venezuela is creating some amazing results in the junior ITF rankings. Copa Gatorade boys singles winner Henrique Cunha BRA, stormed into 37th place after going all the way to the title as a qualifier. Alin Mihai Constantin ROM also benefited from the grade one, by moving up from 46 to 38 and Remi Groenendaal NED went from 84 to 60. Meanwhile on the girl's side, singles and doubles winner, Anastasia Pivovarova RUS, advanced from 8 to 5 and nudged a little closer to 4th place holder, Aumi Morita JPN. Maria Fernanda Alvarez BOL, whose steady semifinal showing in both singles and doubles, earned her a 21st slot. Julia Glushko ISR leaped from 83 to 67, Syna Kayser GER jumped from 86 to 72 and Valeria Solovieva RUS moved from 97 to 75.

In other ITFs around the globe, Alexandra Kolesnicheniko UZB brought home back to back girl's trophies from India, after the New Delhi grade two and she moved into 82nd place. Boys winner, Jerzy Filip Janowica POL eased into the 88th position, while Alexey Tikhonov jumped from 89 to 64 and Rifat Biktyakov UZB slid into the 83rd slot.

Finally the Saitama grade five produced first time singles titles for Yuichi Hasegawa JPN and Shiho Otake JPN. Also Richard Hampel CZE won his first junior ITF title at the Abu Dhabi grade 5, as did girl's winner, Anna Rapoport RUS.


2007 Movers & Shakers: