[juki]

Not sure if tournament starts tomorrow or Thursday Really impressive how the tournament continues to grow year after year, U14 this year is great, even if Fridman can't end up playing

U14 Entry List

ARG Milagros Montero
AUT Eva Nyikos
BEL Marie Van Aelst
BIH Marija Jovicic
BLR Vera Lapko
BRA Thaisa Grana Pedretti
BUL Viktoria Bardarova
CHI Fernanda Labrana
CHN Hanyu Guo
CRO Petra Granic
CZE Barbora Miklova
ESP Julia Payola
FRA Theo Gravouil
GBR Sophie Drakeford-Lewis
GER Lina Isabel Hohnhold
HUN Dalma Galfi
ISR May Kimhi
ITA Alessia D'Auria
MAR Zainab El Houari
MEX Constanza Gorches
NED Phillis Vanenburg
ROU Iulia Ivascu
RSA Lee Barnard
RUS Aleksandra Pospelova
SLO Hana Mraz
SRB Katarina Jokic
SUI Rebeka Masarova
SVK Viktoria Kuzmova
SWE Sandra Ortevall
UKR Olga Fridman?
USA Sofia Kenin
WC CHN Siqi Cao
WC FRA Apolline Rassat
WC GBR Jazzi Plews
WC HUN Fanni Stollar
WC SUI Alessia Welti

U12 Entry List

ARG Nicole Catherine Dufour
AUT Arabella Koller
BEL Louise Wittouck
BIH Adela Joldic
BLR Katyarina Paulenka
BRA Luiza Braghini
BUL Simona Borisova
CHI Francisca Vergara
CHN Suouna Mu
CRO Andja Claudia Karanusic
CZE Anna Kynclova
ESP Paula Arias Monjon
FRA Opheline Depoilly
GBR Nell Miller
GER Vanessa Carmen Langes
HUN Agnes Anna Aranyi
ISR Nicole Nadel
ITA Ariella Maria Curci
MAR Yasmine Bengebara
MEX Astrid Fentanes
NED Judith Von Kessel
ROU Mihaela Lorena Marculescu
RSA Kaylin Bouwer
RUS Anastasia Potapova
SLO Lian Benedej
SRB Jovana Vukovic
SUI Simona Waltert
SVK Laura Rohacova
SWE Josephine Opitz
UKR Katarina Zavatska
USA Claire Liu
WC BEL Irina Cantos Siemers
WC KAZ Zhibek Kulambayeva
WC SVK Viktoria Morvayova
WC UKR Dayana Yastremska
WC USA Abigail Desiatnikov

[LegionArgentina]

This tournament is great

[jj74]

I think this is the first time we have a real posibility of win both cathegories.
But Payola usually is not at her best here (i don't know why) and the favourite is Fridman.

On U12 there's a strong field, by in my opinion Claire Liu and Paula Arias are the favourites (but there's a lot of competence, very strong draw this year)

[¤CharlDa¤]

No canadians?

[Djezonfly]

Potapova

[juki]

Just realized that Katarina Jokic is representing Serbia here and not Bosnia & Herzegovina, like she always has. Huh.

http://www.nikejuniortour.com/ver201...erInfo&idp=765

[BlueTrees]

Is only one player from each country allowed to get direct acceptance or something?

[juki]

Originally Posted by BlueTrees

Is only one player from each country allowed to get direct acceptance or something?

Yes, each country holds a "national masters" or selection process with the winner moving to the international masters. Here is the link to this years USTA national masters tournament for example: http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=124958

[jj74]

Well, i don't know how it works in other countries but here anybody can represent spain (wich i find totally unfair). Last year "our" players were Masarova (she is representing switzerland right now, she has double nationality and she even plays for spain last year at the european nations cup) and Bolsova who is from Moldova.
And in the past we have russians, romanians and japanese players playing under spanish flag wich i find totally absurd.
I don't mind foreign players playing the spanish tournaments, in fact this year we have a terrific level in U12 with Dalila Said and Paula Arias Manjón (and Carlota Molina and Francesca Jones), but if a foreign player won a national masters i think they must give a wc to the best local player, because it's only logical that the countries that host the championships has their own player. And of course the foreign player must play under her real country flag, other thing is simply ridiculous.

I have to say the organizers had a great idea with the wcs, because U12 tournaments were usually strong, but U14 was a lot weaker than they are right now. And moving the tournament between Eddie Herr and Orange Bowl was a great idea too

[jj74]

From the nike junior tour masters webpage:

06-12-2012

ST LUCIE, Florida—The Eddie Herr International Championships is a notable indicator of how player will fare in the Nike Junior Tour (NJT) International Masters. While not everybody involved in the NJT International Masters played at the Eddie Herr event last week, many of the key players did.
Junior tennis players from all over the world players have already descended on Club Med Sandpiper in Florida for the 2012 NJT International Masters and play will begin on Friday.
Both finalists in the Eddie Herr girls under-14 tournament will be seen in action at Club Med Sandpiper. Fanni Stollar of Hungary beat American Sofia Kentin to take the title in Miami but the match came down to the wire with Stollar winning through 1-6 7-5 6-3.
Depending on the seedings and the draw, these two could meet again and that would set up an enthralling encounter.
Adding to the strength of the field is Ukraine’s Olga Fridman. She is ranked No 1 in Europe and plays her tournaments against older players. At the age of 14 she also has an ITF ranking of 194.
However, wild card entry Jazzi Plews of Great Britain is ranked even higher at 115, and already has a big reputation. Dalma Galfi of Hungary is the tournament dark horse and is highly regarded by the experts.
As far as the girls under-12 tournament is concerned there are many who believe this could be the strongest group in this year’s tournament.
Anastasia Potapova went into the Eddie Herr as the 10th seed but the young Russian performed above her seeding to reach the final. She sadly found American Ellie Douglas too strong and after winning the opening set in a tie-breaker, faltered to lose the match 6-7 (4-7) 6-0 6-2.
Douglas will not be playing at the NJT International Masters but Potapova will be there. However, she will face stiff opposition from the likes of Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine and Abigail Desiatnikov of USA. Desiatnikov started as the No 1 seed at Eddie Herr and put out Yastremska 6-2 6-4 in the quarter-finals. She in turn bowed out to Douglas 6-1 6-3.
Katarina Zavatska of Ukraine is another who reached the quarters in Miami and could cause a few upsets along the way.

[juki]

Olga withdrew, but she deserves some extra rest Hungary gets the top two seeds

U14 Draw

(1/wc)Fanni Stollar (HUN) v (wc)Siqi Cao (CHN) or Lina Isabel Hohnhold (GER)
Milagros Montero (ARG) v Alessia Welti (SUI)
Alessia D'Auria (ITA) v Petra Granic (CRO)
(6)Julia Payola (ESP) v Vera Lapko (BLR)

(4)Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) v Aleksandra Pospelova (RUS)
Constanza Gorches (MEX) v Luisa Braghini (BRA)
Sophie Drakeford-Lewis (GBR) v Barbora Miklova (CZE)
(7)Theo Gravouil (FRA) v Iulia Ivascu (ROU)

(8)Sofia Kenin (USA) v (wc)Appoline Rassat (FRA)
Hana Mraz (SLO) v Katarina Jokic (SRB)
Viktoria Bardarova (BUL) v Phillis Vanenburg (NED)
(3/wc)Jazzi Plews (GBR) v Lee Barnard (RSA)

(5)Zaineb El Houari (MAR) v Marija Jovicic (BIH)
Marie Van Aelst (BEL) v Sandra Ortevall (SWE)
May Kimhl (ISR) v Eva Nyikos (AUT)
(2)Dalma Galfi (HUN) v Fernanda Labrena (CHI) or Hanyu Guo (CHN)

U12 Draw

(1)Anastasia Potapova (RUS) v Arabella Koller (AUT) or Mihaela Lorena Marculescu (ROU)
(wc)Irina Cantos Siemers (BEL) v Opheline Depoilly (FRA)
Agnes Anna Aranyi (HUN) v Ariella Maria Curci (ITA)
(8)Laura Rohacova (SVK) v Simona Waltert (SUI)

(4/wc)Abigail Desiatnikov (USA) v Judith Von Kessel (NED)
Nicole Dufour (ARG) v Nicole Nadel (ISR)
Katarina Zavatska (UKR) v Josefin Opitz (SWE)
(7)Jovana Vukovic (SRB) v Vanessa Carmen Langes (GER)

(5)Anna Kynclova (CZE) v Yasmine Bengebara (MAR)
Louise Wittouck (BEL) v Kaylin Bouwer (RSA)
(wc)Viktoria Morvayova (SVK) v Adela Joldic (BIH)
(3)Paula Arias Monjon (ESP) v Nell Miller (GBR) or Lian Benedejcic (SLO)

(6)Claire Liu (USA) v Thaisa Pedretti (BRA)
Astrid Fentanes (MEX) v (wc)Zhibek Kulambayeva (KAZ)
Simona Borisova (BUL) v Shouna Mu (CHN)
(2/wc)Dayana Yastremska (UKR) v Francisca Vergara (CHI) or Katyarina Paulenka (BLR)

[jj74]

It's curious that Claire Liu is 6 seed and Desiatnikov 4, because Liu defeated Desiatnikov in USA Masters, and she is the top american U12 player. But i have to say that this years seeds are quite correct, maybe not the order, but there's no awful surprises like other years

[Freakan]

Originally Posted by jj74

It's curious that Claire Liu is 6 seed and Desiatnikov 4, because Liu defeated Desiatnikov in USA Masters, and she is the top american U12 player. But i have to say that this years seeds are quite correct, maybe not the order, but there's no awful surprises like other years

In G14 seeds aren't that good. They chose Stollar as #1 only because of her Eddie Herr win but Kenin, who was 6/1 5/2 up against her and was crashing everyone else is #8. Gravouil lost to her 2/6 2/6 but is #7 while Gochres and Jokic who are Top 400 in juniors aren't seeded at all.

[jj74]

Yes, they used the Eddie Herr results, in fact Stollar and Payola are in the same part of the draw, and Payola results in U14 are far better (and their only match against each other was a 61 61 victory for Payola).

But the truth is in past years the seeds were far worse, i remember a year when Fiona Ferro was number one (she was a year younger) and Virginia Peña (the same age that Fiona) was not seeded. The truth is Fiona did a good tournament, but she lose clearly in semis because Virginia back then (before her injury and then retirement) was one of the best players born in 1997 with victories against Konjuh and Ostapenko.

This time the order in not correct, but at least the seeds are the ones to be seeded (with some exceptions like Jokic)

They did the same with Jazzy Plews, she and Stollar had less than stellar results on U14 in europe this year, but i think the high seed is due to their great results in juniors

[jj74]

U12 Draw

(1)Anastasia Potapova (RUS) l Mihaela Lorena Marculescu (ROU) 26 75 67
(wc)Irina Cantos Siemers (BEL) d Opheline Depoilly (FRA) 26 62 61
Agnes Anna Aranyi (HUN) l Ariella Maria Curci (ITA) 67 36
(8)Laura Rohacova (SVK) d Simona Waltert (SUI) 26 63 64

(4/wc)Abigail Desiatnikov (USA) d Judith Von Kessel (NED) 64 63
Nicole Dufour (ARG) l Nicole Nadel (ISR) 26 46
Katarina Zavatska (UKR) d Josefin Opitz (SWE) 62 61
(7)Jovana Vukovic (SRB) d Vanessa Carmen Langes (GER) 62 63

(5)Anna Kynclova (CZE) d Yasmine Bengebara (MAR) 61 61
Louise Wittouck (BEL) d Kaylin Bouwer (RSA) 36 63 64
(wc)Viktoria Morvayova (SVK) d Adela Joldic (BIH) 64 36 62
(3)Paula Arias Monjon (ESP) d Nell Miller (GBR) 63 61

(6)Claire Liu (USA) d Thaisa Pedretti (BRA) 61 62
Astrid Fentanes (MEX) l (wc)Zhibek Kulambayeva (KAZ) 16 16
Simona Borisova (BUL) l Shouna Mu (CHN) 16 67
(2/wc)Dayana Yastremska (UKR) d Katyarina Paulenka (BLR) 62 62

The only surprise is Potapova lost. In my opinion Anastasia is very good, her results are impressive, but she is player born in 2001, and at this young ages, generally a year is a big gap. She and Desiatnikov seems to be the better players born in that year but here there are a good bunch of the best players born in 2000, and this tournament never was won by a player in her first year in U12 (El Houari and Peña both were runner ups).
And Marculescu was one of the toughest rivals for a seeded player in this first round.