Top seed Nara leads other six compatriots in dominating quarterfinals

Number one seed Kurumi Nara leads the pack of six more local players in booking tickets for quarterfinals at "Tokyu Harvest Cup Hamanako ITF Womens Circuit" in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka-ken, Japan on Thursday, October 1, 2009. In round 16, 17 years old Nara had to play three sets as she went down in the opening set. Eventually Nara stormed back to beat compatriot Akiko Yonemura 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.

Meanwhile local second seed Tomoko Yonemura had an easy outing when she breezed past her compatriot Seiko Okamoto 6-2, 6-2. Followed by local fourth seed Misaki Doi who ousted her compatriot Ayaka Maekawa 6-4, 6-3. Different outcome was the story for three seeds as they bundled out and failed to reach the last eight round. First, Thai third seed Suchanun Viratprasert was shocked by local Natsumi Hamamura 3-6, 6-2, 1-6. Another upset was made by local qualifier Sachie Ishizu as she cruised past sixth seed Hwang I-Hsuan from Chinese Taipei 5-7, 3-6. Also exiting was South Korean eighth seed Lee Jin-A who contested in the battle against Hsu Wen-Hsin of Chinese Taipei in a tight duel but Hsu was a better player to clinch 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) victory.

In doubles' quarterfinals, only top seed and second seed pairs advanced into the last four round, while third and fourth seeded duets stumbled. Top seed duo Carly Gullickson/Nicole Kriz (USA/Australia) eased past local duet Kurumi Nara/Erika Sema 6-2, 6-0. Then second seed pair Yayuk Basuki/Hwang I-Hsuan (Indonesia/Chinese Taipei) moved into their back to back semi-final after they battled past local pair Airi Hagimoto/Maiko Inoue 7-5, 6-3.


Singles
1st round - full results
(1) Kurumi Nara (JPN) d. Varatchaya Wongteanchai (THA) 26 62 63
Akiko Yonemura (JPN) d. Ayumi Oka (JPN) 36 76(5) 62
(Q) Sakiko Shimizu (JPN) d. (Q) Maya Kato (JPN) 46 61 61
Shiho Akita (JPN) d. (5) Erika Sema (JPN) 67(4) 64 64

(4) Misaki Doi (JPN) d. (WC) Mari Inoue (JPN) 76(4) 61
Ayaka Maekawa (JPN) d. (Q) Han Na-Lae (KOR) 64 62
Hsu Wen-Hsin (TPE) d. Remi Tezuka (JPN) 61 60
(8) Lee Jin-A (KOR) d. (Q) Erika Takao (JPN) 64 63

(6) Hwang I-Hsuan (TPE) d. (WC) Kei Sekine (JPN) 36 75 62
(Q) Sachie Ishizu (JPN) d. (Q) Akari Inoue (JPN) 63 62
Natsumi Hamamura (JPN) d. (Q) Karen Barbat (DEN) 62 63
(3) Suchanun Viratprasert (THA) d. (WC) Shiori Kikukawa (JPN) 63 62

Ai Yamamoto (JPN) d. (7) Shiho Hisamatsu (JPN) 76(8) 57(3) 75
(Q) Makiho Kozawa (JPN) d. Chiaki Okadaue (JPN) 76(5) 63
Seiko Okamoto (JPN) d. (WC) Kaede Ikuma (JPN) 62 60
(2) Tomoko Yonemura (JPN) d. Nudnida Luangnam (THA) 64 36 64

Second round - complete results
(1) Kurumi Nara (JPN) d. Akiko Yonemura (JPN) 26 63 60
(Q) Sakiko Shimizu (JPN) d. Shiho Akita (JPN) 7 26 64
(4) Misaki Doi (JPN) d. Ayaka Maekawa (JPN) 64 63
Hsu Wen-Hsin (TPE) d. (8) Lee Jin-A (KOR) 75 46 76(4)

(Q) Sachie Ishizu (JPN) d. (6) Hwang I-Hsuan (TPE) 75 63
Natsumi Hamamura (JPN) d. (3) Suchanun Viratprasert (THA) 63 26 61
Ai Yamamoto (JPN) d. (Q) Makiho Kozawa (JPN) 64 64
(2) Tomoko Yonemura (JPN) d. Seiko Okamoto (JPN) 62 62


Doubles
Quarterfinals
(1) Carly Gullickson/Nicole Kriz (USA/AUS) d. Kurumi Nara/Erika Sema (JPN) 62 60
Maki Arai/Akari Inoue (JPN) d. (4) Chen Yi/Tomoko Dokei (TPE/JPN) 63 64

Shiho Hisamatsu/Ayaka Maekawa (JPN) d. (3) Ayumi Oka/Varatchaya Wongteanchai (JPN/THA) 62 62
(2) Yayuk Basuki/Hwang I-Hsuan (INA/TPE) d. Airi Hagimoto/Maiko Inoue (JN) 75 63

Photo of Natsumi Hamamura is courtesy of dhbvg87.sakura.ne.jp

Junior Fed Cup Final: Top seed Russia demolished Indonesia 3-0

The second Round Robin ties of the Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas continued at La Loma Centro Deportivo in San Luis Potosi, Mexico on Wednesday (September 30, 2009). In Group A, top seed Russia was too strong for Indonesia as the Russian girls crushed Indonesian team 3-0. Russia secured 1-0 lead after Ksenia Kirillova cruised past Cynthia Melita 6-1, 6-4. Then Daria Gavrilova won the second rubber as she battled past Grace Sari Ysidora Tobing 6-2, 7-6(3). In the final rubber, duo Daria Gavrilova/Polina Leykina edged past Indonesian pair Cynthia Melita/Grace Sari Ysidora Tobing 6-4, 6-4.

Indonesia is currently last in Group A by only winning 1 match and losing 5 matches. In third Round Robin tie, Indonesia will face Croatia and it is going to be another heavy task to do.

In Group B, Japanese girls maintain their strong performance but it has been interesting to witness that Japan's "ichiban" player and Torrance, California born Emi Mutaguchi has been playing only in doubles. It is likely based on her weak results compare to Akiko Omae, then Mutaguchi has been off-duty in singles. Today (September 30, 2009) Tokyo resident Mutaguchi turned 16 years old.

Group A

(1)Russia d. Indonesia 3-0
Ksenia Kirillova d. Cynthia Melita 61 64
Daria Gavrilova d. Grace Sari Ysidora Tobing 62 76(3)
Daria Gavrilova/Polina Leykina d. Cynthia Melita/Grace Sari Ysidora Tobing 64 64

Croatia d. (8) Argentina 2-1
Florencia Di Biasi d. Dora Vajdic 63 64
Ajla Tomljanovic d. Agustina Sol Eskenazi 62 61
Ajla Tomljanovic/Dora Vajdic d. Florencia Di Biasi/Agustina Sol Eskenazi 61 61

Group B

(3)Japan d. Egypt 3-0
Risa Ozaki d. Farida Sayed Amin 61 63
Akiko Omae d. Rana Sherif Ahmed 61 61
Emi Mutaguchi/Akiko Omae d. Farida Sayed Amin/Rana Sherif Ahmed 61 62

(6)Ukraine d. Peru 3-0
Valentyna Ivakhnenko d. Ximena Siles-Luna 63 63
Elina Svitolina d. Patricia Ku 62 62
Valentyna Ivakhnenko/Katerina Kozlova d. Patricia Ku/Ximena Siles-Luna 64 46 61

Group C

(4)Germany d. (5) Tunisia 2-1
Abbes Nour d. Stephanie Wagner 26 62 75
Annika Beck d. Ons Jabeur 62 60
Anna-Lena Friedsam/Stephanie Wagner d. Ons Jabeur/Abbes Nour 26 76(1) 64

China d. Mexico 2-1
Tang Hao-Chen d. Marcela Zacarias 76(4) 63
Giuliana Olmos d. Zheng Sai-Sai 63 63
Tang Hao-Chen/Zheng Sai-Sai d. Ana Sofia Sanchez/Marcela Zacarias 62 46 60

Group D

(2)Slovak Republic d. Belarus 2-1
Chantal Skamlova d. Ilona Kremen 61 16 86
Aliaksandra Sasnovich d. Jana Cepelova 63 46 10-8
Jana Cepelova/Vivien Juhaszova d. Ilona Kremen/Aliaksandra Sasnovich 64 76(0)

(7)Canada d. Australia 2-1
Elizabeth Abanda d. Molly Polak 62 63
Eugenie Bouchard d. Viktorija Rajicic 61 67(6) 64
Elizabeth Abanda/Eugenie Bouchard d. Alexandra Nancarrow/Molly Polak 62 67(3) 64

Photos of Ksenia Kirillova is courtesy of Mark Kolbe/Getty Images Asia Pacific; Akiko Omae is courtesy of daylife.com

Junior Fed Cup Final: Indonesia bowed out to Argentina

The Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals got underway in San Luis Potosi, Mexico on Tuesday (September 29, 2009) with the world’s best 16 and under players striving to claim victory for their nations.

The 32 qualified teams this year come from 28 different countries. Last year the USA made history, taking both the boys’ and girls’ titles. But this time the girls’ winners USA could not manage to qualify this year, so then it is opening an opportunity for a new champion to grab the trophy.

The Junior Fed Cup sets to be quite interesting this year, with many nations having excellent squads and some of the best junior girls in the world are in the showdown. After failed to qualify for last year’s Finals, the Russian girls’ team are strong candidates for this year’s title. Having finished top of the European qualifying group, and with all three players are currently within the ITF top 30 junior rankings, they will be focusing to reclaim a title Russia hasn’t won since 1997. European runners-up Slovak Republic, whose three players are all within the top 75, could be title's contenders.

Possible strong showing in the Junior Fed Cup, could be teams of Japan and China as they are both having solid teams. Japan will be aiming to claim their first Junior Fed Cup title, and will be very confident this week after a dominant performance in the final qualifying in Australia last April.

Indonesian team is comprised of Grace Sari Ysidora Tobing, Cynthia Melita and Rekyan Woro and it is the same team which made a history to advance in this week's Finals. Indonesian team is joining top seed Russia, eighth seed Argentina and Croatia in Group A. This year, Indonesian team's captain is Deddy Tedjamukti, current coach of Ysidora Tobing and former coach of Angelique "Angie" Widjaja.

On Tuesday, Indonesian team lost to Argentina 1-2. In the first rubber, Melita was defeated by Florencia Di Biasi 7-6(5), 2-6, 3-6. Then junior world ranked number 42 Ysidora Tobing failed to capitalize a victory as she was beaten by lefty Agustina Sol Eskenazi 6-3, 3-6, 4-6. In the final rubber, duo Ysidora Tobing/Melita edged past Daniela Degano/Di Biasi 6-2, 6-3. Next Indonesian girls will have a very tough task as they will face top title's contenders, Russian girls.

Group A
(1) Russia d. Croatia 2-1
Ksenia Kirillova d. Dora Vajdic 62 62
Ajla Tomljanovic d. Daria Gavrilova 63 63
Kirillova/Gavrilova d. Tomljanovic/Vajdic 76(6) 64

Group B
(3) Japan d. Peru 3-0
Risa Ozaki d. Ximena Siles-Luna 61 61
Akiko Omae d. Patricia Ku 60 61
Emi Mutaguchi/Omae d. Mayte Calmet/Ku 60 60

(6) Ukraine d. Egypt 3-0
Valentyna Ivakhnenko d. Rana Sherif Ahmed 26 61 61
Katerina Kozlova d. Yasmeen Ebada 61 64
Ivakhnenko/Elina Svitolina d. Ebada/Sherif Ahmed 26 63 63

Group C
(4) Germany d. Mexico 2-1
Stephanie Wagner d. Marcela Zacarias 60 64
Giuliana Olmos d. Annika Beck 63 46 63
Bck/Wagner d. Olmos/Ana Sophia Sanchez 61 62

China d. (5) Tunisia 3-0
Tang Hao-Chen d. Nour Abbes 62 60
Zheng Sai-Sai d. Ons Jabeur 64 26 75
Tang/Yang Zi d. Abbes/Jabeur 64 75

Group D
(2) Slovak Republic d. Australia 2-1
Vivien Juhaszova d. Molly Polak 64 67(6) 63
Viktorija Rajicic d. Jana Cepelova 62 62
Juhaszova/Chantal Skamlova d. Alexandra Nancarrow/Rajicic 26 63 63

(7) Canada d. Belarus 2-1
Elizabeth Abanda d. Viktoryia Kisialeva 61 67(6) 63
Eugenie Bouchard d. Aliaksandra Sasnovich 64 60
Illona Kremen/Sasnovich d. Bouchard/Elianne Douglas-Miron 64 63

Photos of San Luis Potosi is courtesy of resourcesforattorney.com; Ysidora Tobing is courtesy of PPI Paris; Melita is private collection

Top seed Nara survives, Basuki/Hwang into quarterfinal

Local top seed Kurumi Nara advanced into second round at "Tokyu Harvest Cup Hamanako ITF Womens Circuit" with total prize money of US $ 25,000 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka-ken, Japan on Tuesday, September 29, 2009. In the opening round 17 years old Nara faced a scare as she lost the first set but then she bounced back to defeat Thai Varatchaya Wongteanchai 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 and secured 2-0 in her head to head with Wongteanchai back to back. Also having a tough opener was local second seed Tomoko Yonemura who had to demonstrate her "bushido" spirit to beat Thai Nudnida Luangnam 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Similar thriller was experienced by sixth seed Hwang I-Hsuan from Chinese Taipei as local wild card Kei Sekine surprised her to claim first set 6-3 but then Hwang regrouped to win 7-5, 6-2. In the opening day, there were only 6 singles' matches in the schedule.

The only surprise was capitalized by local player Shiho Akita who ousted her fifth seed compatriot, Erika Sema 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4.

In doubles main draw, top seed pair Carly Gullickson/Nicole Kriz (USA/Australia) breezed past local duet Natsumi Hamamura/Mari Inoue 6-1, 6-0. Meanwhile second seed duo Yayuk Basuki/Hwang I-Hsuan (Indonesia/Chinese Taipei) eased past local qualifiers, Sakiko Shimizu/Tomoko Sugano 6-3, 6-1.

Singles
1st round - only 6 matches completed
(1) Kurumi Nara (JPN) d. Varatchaya Wongteanchai (THA) 26 62 63
Akiko Yonemura (JPN) d. Ayumi Oka (JPN) 36 76(5) 62
(Q) Maya Kato (JPN) vs (Q) Sakiko Shimizu (JPN)
Shiho Akita (JPN) d. (5) Erika Sema (JPN) 67(4) 64 64

(4) Misaki Doi (JPN) vs (WC) Mari Inoue (JPN)
Ayaka Maekawa (JPN) d. (Q) Han Na-Lae (KOR) 64 62
Hsu Wen-Hsin (TPE) vs Remi Tezuka (JPN)
(8) Lee Jin-A (KOR) vs (Q) Erika Takao (JPN)

(6) Hwang I-Hsuan (TPE) d. (WC) Kei Sekine (JPN) 36 75 62
(Q) Akari Inoue (JPN) vs (Q) Sachie Ishizu (JPN)
Natsumi Hamamura (JPN) vs (Q) Karen Barbat (DEN)
(3) Suchanun Viratprasert (THA) vs (WC) Shiori Kikukawa (JPN)

(7) Shiho Hisamatsu (JPN) vs Ai Yamamoto (JPN)
Chiaki Okadaue (JPN) vs (Q) Makiho Kozawa (JPN)
Seiko Okamoto (JPN) vs (WC) Kaede Ikuma (JPN)
(2) Tomoko Yonemura (JPN) d. Nudnida Luangnam (THA) 64 36 64


Doubles
1st round - complete results
(1) Carly Gullickson/Nicole Kriz (USA/AUS) d. Natsumi Hamamura/Mari Inoue (JPN) 61 60
Kurumi Nara/Erika Sema (JPN) d. (WC) Yuka Kuroda/Chiaki Okadaue (JPN) 64 64
(4) Chen Yi/Tomoko Dokei (TPE/JPN) d. Maya Kato/Ai Yamamoto (JPN) 64 75
Maki Arai/Akari Inoue (JPN) d. Montinee Tangphong/Nungnadda Wannasuk (THA) 64 62

Shiho Hisamatsu/Ayaka Maekawa (JPN) d. (WC) Yumi Nakano/Kei Sekine (JPN) 62 64
(3) Ayumi Oka/Varatchaya Wongteanchai (JPN/THA) d. (Q) Kim Na-Ri/Lee Jin-A (KOR) 63 63
Airi Hagimoto/Maiko Inoue (JPN) d. (WC) Kaori Onishi/Hana Shimokawa (JPN) 61 63
(2) Yayuk Basuki/Hwang I-Hsuan (INA/TPE) d. (Q) Sakiko Shimizu/Tomoko Sugano (JPN) 63 61

Photo of Hamanako Lake is courtesy of panoramio.com

Kiwi Jones sealed her 25K's maiden title

18 years old New Zealander sixth seed Sacha Jones calimed her 25K's maiden title aat "Northern Territory Women's Tennis International 2" in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia on Sunday (September 27, 2009). In her first ever 25K final appearance, Jones stopped Aussie qualifier Bojana Bobuscic 6-4, 6-1. In semi-final, she was successful in ousting Aussie Alicia Molik 6-3, 7-6(4), while Bobuscic toppled fourth seed Chiaki Okadaue of Japan 6-1, 6-4.

In doubles' final, as two unseeded pairs battled, eventually Aussie duet Isabella Holland/Sally Peers grabbed the title after defeating Alenka Hubacek/Jessy Rompies (Australia/Indonesia) 6-4, 3-6, 10-4.


Singles
Quarterfinal results
(Q) Bojana Bobuscic (AUS) d. Remi Tezuka (JPN) 63 63
(4) Chiaki Okadaue (JPN) d. (8) Isabella Holland (AUS) 62 60

(6) Sacha Jones (NZL) d. (3) Emily Webley-Smith (GBR) 63 62
(SE) Alicia Molik (AUS) d. (7) Sally Peers (AUS) 61 61

Photo of Sacha Jones is courtesy of odt.co.nz

Damayanti, Tananta & Ysidora Tobing reach highest rank ever of their career

WTA ranks for Indonesians as per September 28, 2009


Singles
1. 284 (301) Ayu Fani Damayanti - 161 points, 15 touneys
2. 375 (359) Sandy Gumulya - 104 points, 10 tourneys
3. 431 (473) Lavinia Tananta - 83 points, 12 tourneys
4. 463 (460) Jessy Rompies - 73 points - 15 tourneys
5. 584 (586) Romana Tedjakusuma - 45 points - 11 tourneys
6. 778 (781) Grace Sari Ysidora - 22 points - 3 tourneys
7. 930 (931) Beatrice Gumulya - 12 points - 6 tourneys


Doubles
1. 206 (203) Romana Tedjakusuma - 340 points, 15 tourneys
2. 222 (222) Yayuk Basuki - 310 points, 10 tourneys
3. 338 (352) Jessy Rompies - 154 points, 15 tourneys
4. 346 (376) Lavinia Tananta - 150 points, 14 tourneys
5. 369 (402) Ayu Fani Damayanti - 134 points, 10 tourneys
6. 403 (397) Beatrice Gumulya - 112 points, 10 tourneys
7. 725 (722) Sandy Gumulya - 30 points, 5 tourneys

Top seed Basuki/Hwang stumble in semi-final

Top seed pair Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia and Hwang I-Hsuan from Chinese Taipei bowed out in semi-final at "Gosen Cup Swingbeach Makinohara International Ladies Open Tennis 2009" in Makinohara, Shizuoka-ken, Japan on Thursday (September 24, 2009). In today's last four round, duet Basuki/Hwang had to fight harder but in the end local third seed duo Mari Tanaka/Tomoko Yonemura ousted them 6-3, 3-6, 10-5. Tanaka/Yonemura will meet the winner of the other semi-final match between local wild card pair Sakiko Shimizu/Tomko Sugano and another local duet Kurumi Nara/Erika Sema.

In singles draw, 18 years old local prodigy and top seed Kurumi Nara stormed into semi-final as she breezed past Thai Varatchaya Wongteanchai 6-1, 6-1 in the last eight round today. Her opponent in semi-final will be Hsieh Su-Wei of Chinese Taipei who eased past another Thai, Montinee Tangphong 6-2, 6-1.

Another 18 years old Japanese and fifth seed Misaki Doi surprised her 27 years old "senpai" and third seed Tomoko Yonemura with 6-4, 7-6(5) victory in reaching her third semi-final of 25K after Makinohara last year and Obihiro-Tokachi, Hokkaido in early August 2009. In the last four round, Doi will play against South Korean and seventh seed Lee Jin-A who saw-off local qualifier Sakiko Shimizu 6-2, 7-6(4).

Singles
Quarterfinals
1-NARA, Kurumi (JPN) d. WONGTEANCHAI, Varatchaya (THA) 61 61
HSIEH, Su-Wei (TPE) d. TANGPHONG, Montinee (THA) 62 61

5-DOI, Misaki (JPN) d. 3-YONEMURA, Tomoko (JPN) 64 76(5)
7-LEE, Jin-A (KOR) d. Q-SHIMIZU, Sakiko (JPN) 62 76(4)

Photo of Misaki Doi is courtesy of daylife.com