21st March 2007
Movers & Shakers Update
by Rose Mather
It was a good week for juniors playing with the big guns. Congrats to Ricardas Berankis LIT and Naomi Cavaday GBR Naomi, a qualifier at Orange CA a 25K, who had a decisive win over Karin Knapp ITA. Meanwhile Ricardas, also a qualifier at the F3 Futures in Albufeira, Portugal edged out Niels Desein (4) BEL. This is the first pro win for both players.

At the Sunderland GBR 10k, Britain's own Anna Fitzpatrick had a brilliant run up until the final where she lost to top seed Gaella Widmer. Semifinal winners were Federica Di Sarra ITA at the 10k Rome-Real, ITA, qualifier Elisa Peth GER at the 10k in Cairo and Alexandra Cadantu ROU in the 10k Athens.

Martin Klizan SVK had back to back quarterfinal results with the F2 Futures 15k in Morocco. Other quarterfinalists this week include Corinna Dentoni ITA at the Sunderland 10k, qualifier Arsenije Zlatanovic SRB at the F3 Futures, Portugal, Estelle Guisard FRA in Athens and qualifier Valeria Pulido Valesco at home in Mexico.

Carlos Boluda ESP, Les Petit As champion, stepped up his game in the 16U division to take home the Realsport Open trophy, while girls winner, Klara Koprivova CZE, adds another win this year in the Tennis Europe circuit. Meanwhile, the ITF/TE Championships 14U puts Marek Marksoo EST and Karyna Alesha BLR in the spotlight with their wins.

The USTA held their 18 and under Spring Nationals in Mobile Alabama USA this past week. Top seed Melanie Oudin adds her first gold ball to her profile, never dropping a set throughout the tournament and topping off with a decisive win over Lauren Embree in the final. Brennan Boyajian earned his 4th gold ball in singles and his first silver ball (to add to his previous four gold and one bronze balls for doubles).

With two grade 1 tournaments there had to be some moving and shaking in the ITF rankings this past week. Banana Bowl girls champion Tamaryn Hendler BEL jumped into the top 20 from 43rd while boy's winner, Ricardo Urzua Rivera CHI is closing in on the top 10 by taking the 11th spot. Meanwhile half way across the world at the other grade 1, Bangkok Metropolitan, boys winner Stephen Donald AUS jumped into the 21st level and Nikola Hofmanova AUS gained three more spaces up to 7th place.

John Patrick Smith AUS singles and doubles wins of two weeks ago at the Salon Pas International jumped him from 31st to 17th place, while girls winner Yi Miao Zhou CHN leapt into the top hundred taking over the 77th spot. The Salon Pas also shot doubles semifinalist Kittipong Wachiramanowong THA into 43rd and partner Perakiat  Siriluethaiwattana THA into 51st position.

Noteworthy movers in the rankings are Brendan McKenzie AUS skipping into 71st and Jared Easton AUS joining the top 100 players at number 76. The top 100 girls welcome Tatiana Bua ARG, winner in doubles at the Banana Bowl, in at number 78 and Sophia Mulsap THA in 92nd spot.

Giorgio Portaluri ITA took home his first junior singles win and second doubles at the Kramfors High Coast. Lara Meccico ITA stepped up to the podium for her first trophy in an ITF junior event.

With a long list of doubles wins, Christian Saravia GUA proved that singles isn't too shabby by picking up his trophy at the Panama Bowl alongside girls winner in singles and doubles Francesca Segarelli, a first time titlist.

Jenny Julien FRA and Salvatore Carbone ITA both basked in their first win at the Oran.

Malaysia International introduced two new champions with Logan Mackenzie NZL taking the boys win and Anne Christine Voicu CAN winning the girls. This is the first time stepping on to the podium to collect the winners trophies for both players.

A lot of new faces played at the ITF West Africa Junior Circuit in Nigeria but only one boy and one girl could win the trophy. Henry Atseye NGR and Christi Potgieter RSA earned their place. With only a few ITF junior events under his belt, Henry took home both the singles and doubles titles.

2007 Movers & Shakers: