28th February 2007
Movers & Shakers Update
by Rose Mather
First a special mention to all those juniors playing the pro circuit. As you know, Tamira Paszek (AUT) made a splash at the Dubai Duty Free Women's Open, a WTA Tier ll event. The qualifier was cool and collected against the number two in the world, Justine Henin of Belgium, and impressed spectators with her maturity and poise; not to mention an exemplary game of tennis. She looked a lot more comfortable out there than her opponent that night. Also, 4th ranked junior, Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), had a great win last month in Ortisei Italy, winning a $75,000 event. Madison Brengle (USA) made it through the qualies and up to the main draw finals at the Sheriff Jim Coats 3rd Annual Clearwater Open in Florida, a 25k pro tournament. Meanwhile the Russian trio, Julia Kalabina, Regina Kulikova and Ksenia Pervak made it to the quarterfinal round at a 10k in Montechoro, Portugal.

On the boy's side, 24th ranked Gastao Elias (POR) took the long road through the qualies to the finals of a F7 Futures in Spain this past week.

Back to junior tennis, the two winners of the ITF grade 2 Argentina Cup, Stephane Piro (FRA) and Julia Glushko (ISR) are the movers and shakers of this week. Stephane leapt into 34th place from 77th and Julia into the 43rd from 66th. The semifinalists fared well too with Kurumi Nara (JPN) moving up to 73rd from 97th place and Ricardo Urzua Rivera CHI into 26th from 30th. The Argentina Cup also gave us a preview of future tennis stars in the younger age divisions. Boys 16, Nicolas Pastor (ARG), girls 16, Fernanda Brito (CHI), boys 14 Tiago Fernandes (BRA) and girls 14 Catalina Pella (ARG) won the COSAT event.

In Sri Lanka the boy's winner Kwi Tai Kim KOR captured a first career singles title while Jawariah Noordin (MAS) did a clean sweep of the girls events and collected her third singles crown.

Henri Kontinen (FIN) and Johanna Konta (AUS) captured the winner's trophies at the IPP Open G-4 in Finland. A doubles specialist by nature, Henri finally broke through by winning his first singles championship and it's also a first for Johanna.

Canada's Vasek Pospisil will not go home empty handed as he won the boys singles event in Flevoland, Netherlands, to add to his previous multiple doubles victories. Nina Zander (GER) hailed victorious in the girl's event.

The air in Mexico agrees with American, Denis Kudla who celebrated winning his second consecutive singles title there at the Jalisco Cup. Meanwhile Laura Biro of Hungary shared the spotlight by taking home her first junior ITF trophy.

Little Mo started of it's sectionals in Texas this month with age divisions, 11 through 8, boys and girls. It's a great start for USTA kids. Meanwhile in Europe the ETA was moving and shaking with events for the 16U, 14U and 12U age groups.

2007 Movers & Shakers: