Teenagers And Veterans Prevail On The Circuit This Week

Two world renowned junior players from the past prevailed on the challenger circuit this week, but their careers have taken completely different trajectories. Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic is immediately living up the promise that she showed in her junior career, while Gilles Muller of Luxembourg is struggling to find the consistency that allowed him to obtain the #1 junior ranking back in 2000.
At the $75,000 event in Monzon, Spain, Petra Kvitova rallied from a break down in the final set to win her first challenger title of the year, overcoming Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 2-6 6-4 7-5. Kvitova, who shocked the tennis world this year by beating Venus Williams in Memphis this winter, will crack the top 100 this week for the first time in her career. It may not be long before Wickmayer, who reached the finals at a $50,000 event in New Delhi, India earlier this month, joins Kvitova in that part of the ranks; she has just 15 points to defend between now and the end of July.
Kathrin Woerle of Germany won her first title of the year at the $25,000 event in Biarritz, France, routing Selima Sfar of Tunisia 6-1 6-3. With this win, Woerle moves back into the top 200 this week. Despite the lopsided score in the finals, Sfar can take some satisfaction in turning the corner with her tennis at this tournament. Coming into Biarritz, the 31 year old had lost in the first round of all eight tournaments she had played this year.
At the $25,000 event in Jackson, Mississippi, Soledad Esperon of Argentina won her first challenger title in three years by defeating Tetiana Luzhanska of Ukraine. The 23 year old Esperon dropped back to satellite events for much of last year in an attempt to revive her flagging game. The move has clearly paid off, as she showed off a harder serve and improved fitness to defeat Luzhanska, who was also competing in her first challenger final of the year. Esperon took to the court afterwards with fellow Argentine Maria Irigoyen to also claim the doubles title at this event.
The transition from juniors to the pros hasn’t been easy for Gilles Muller of Luxembourg. Despite reaching two ATP finals and scoring wins over top players like Andy Roddick, the lack of consistency in Muller’s big hitting game has ultimately been his downfall. However, Muller showed his determination to end these streaky ways by claiming his first title in four years at the $50,000 event in Humacao, Puerto Rico, defeating Ivan Miranda of Peru 7-5 7-6. Despite the loss, Miranda has started off his spring season in outstanding form, having won the last challenger event he played in Salinas, Ecuador.
It’s not often that you’ll see a player ranked inside the top 60 playing a $35,000 challenger event, but Albert Montanes of Spain apparently wanted an early start to the clay court season. He managed to get just that, living up to his billing as top seed in Monza, Italy, by defeating fellow Spaniard Alberto Martin 3-6 7-6 6-3. Martin, who has been as high as #34 in the world, failed to serve out the match in the second set and ultimately crumbled in the final set. Montanes is scheduled to compete in the main draw of the ATP event in Valencia, Spain this week.
The spotlight remains on the women’s side this week as they hold their first $100,000 event of the year in Saint Malo, France. Pauline Parmentier of France, ranked #48 in the world, is top seed at this event. Sunitha Rao is top seed at the $25,000 event in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and Kyra Nagy of Hungary leads the way at the $25,000 tournament in Bari, Italy.
On the men’s side, Yen-Hsun Lu of Taipei is the top seed at the $75,000 event in Busan, Korea. Kevin Anderson of South Africa is top seed at the $50,000 event in Athens, Greece, and Benjamin Becker takes top billing at the $50,000 tournament in Tallahassee, Florida. Gustavo Kuerten will also continue his farewell tournament campaign this week at the $35,000 event in his hometown of Florianopolis, Brazil. Alberto Martin of Spain looks to continue his strong form from last week at the $35,000 tournament in Chiasso, Switzerland, while Sam Warburg of the United States is the top seed at the $35,000 event in Mexico City, Mexico.