Gumulya & Ysidora had bitter start of the season

The current number one national junior player, 18 years old Beatrice Gumulya (ITF 27) and number two national junior player, 15 years old Grace Sari Ysidora (ITF 127) both crashed out in the first round or round 64 at "Loy Yang Power Traralgon Junior ITF International" - an ITF Grade 1 tourney being held in Traralgon, Victoria today. As 8th seeded, Gumulya bowed out to 14 years old Tamara Curovic (ITF 183) 1-6, 6-7(5). Curovic hails from Beograd, Serbia and started to play tennis when she was 9 years old. She only began her ITF junior tour since March, 2008 and in her 10th tourney Curovic was successful to claim her maiden title at "Nokia Junior Cup" Grade 4 in Vierumaki, Finland last October. She continued on her high note by grabbing another ITF Grade 4 title at "TaTS Open" in Tampere, Finland. In contrast, Gumulya just got her maiden title of ITF Grade 4 in Solo last November when she was 2 months shy from 18 years old.

Ysidora also lost to 17 years old wild card Brittany Sheed of Australia 3-6, 6-3, 3-6. Based on the information from Ysidora's coach, Deddy Tedjamukti, Sheed had much better power than Ysidora and she was simply overpowered his student. Sheed is currently at ITF 591 and it is due to her one year absence from ITF junior circuit. Her best rank was once at ITF 56 in April 2007. Over her junior career Sheed has collected 4 titles and they were at Adelaide Grade 4, Morocco Grade 4, back to back Darwin Grade 3 and all of these were in 2006. Since March till December 2008, she had played only senior pro tour and now her ranking is at WTA 548.

Both Gumulya and Ysidora will continue to play singles' consolation round. Then in doubles, Gumulya is partnered with world junior number one Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand and this pair is indeed the top seeded. Duo Gumulya/Lertcheewakarn will have an opening match against Thai pair, Kumkhum Luksika/Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul. Meanwhile, Ysidora was approached by Katherine Westbury's father as soon as she arrived at the venue last Wednesday and he asked Ysidora to play doubles with his daughter. Westbury is from New Zealand but she is currently resident of Sydney, Australia. Duet Westbury/Ysidora will have tough opening battle against 8th seeded Martina Borecka/Martina Kubicikova from Czech Republic. While Westbury and Ysidora are pairing for the very first time, the Czech duo started their partnership since January 2007 and they have shared just one title of Grade 2 at Mar Del Plata, Argentina out of 10 tournaments they have played together.

Top seed Lertcheewakarn or known as Nok had topsy turvy opening match today. Nok forced to fight hard before she eventually saw off an Aussie wild card, Sophie Letcher (IYF 296) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. With her current WTA 156, despite her ITF rank is only at 496, lefty Russian Ksenia Pervak is placed as second seed. She reached her best junior rank at ITF 5 in 2007. Today in the first round, she breezed past an Aussie lucky loser Emma Ford 6-0, 6-1.

Photo of Ysidora is courtesy of Santirta M/tempophoto.com
Photo of Westbury is courtesy of tennisnz.com