TENNIS
TRARALGON JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL
By TOM HAYES
THE Traralgon Tennis Association has been a hive of activity over the past week, with festivities beginning as early as Wednesday, January 8 for the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International.
Qualifying rounds had competition underway, as the club ramped up toward the main draw which begun last Friday (January 10).
TO celebrate the start of the main draw, the Traralgon Tennis Association hosted the Family Fun Fest on the evening of January 10, filled with multiple activities including a native animals display, inflatable tennis, a pickleball come and try, face painting, and food and drink stalls.
Not only the community, but also some of the international competitors made their way down to the carpark to check things out and get involved.
Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester even made an appearance at the Traralgon courts for the community event.
ACTION on the courts begun as early as the first round of the main draw, as top prospects bundled out of the singles draw.
On Day 1, the second-seeded boy from Kazakhstan, Amir Omarkhanov fell in straight sets to Russia’s Egor Pleshivtsev.
Pleshivtsev, who is the 47th ranked boy in the world, has since powered through into the quarter finals, following back-to-back-back wins, all by straight sets.
There was more upsets on the first day of action in the girls bracket, with four of the top five seeds being knocked out.
Second seed Serbian, Teodora Kostovic was eliminated in straight sets to Indian qualifier Krisha Mahendran. Third seed American, Kristina Penickova forced a third set in her fixture but was eventually eliminated by Australian wildcard entry Tahlia Kokkinis.
The fourth seed from Czech Republic, Tereza Krejcova was downed by Slovakian, Mia Pohankova in straight sets, while fifth seed Elizara Yaneva of Bulgaria was knocked out in straight sets by British qualifier, Brooke Black.
MOVING onto Saturday, January 11, the upsets continued to roll through, as it appeared no easy match was played.
In the boys, Number 1 seed, Czech’s Jan Kumstat rolled through to the third round, but third seed Spaniard, Andres Santamaria Roig was upended in straight sets by his Bulgarian counterpart.
Fourth seed from the US, Jack Kennedy, was also stopped in his tracks, beaten in straight sets by the Italian Jacopa Vasami.
Half of the seeded players that remained in the third round were outside the top 10, meaning the favouritism had spread more than before.
For the girls on Day 2, first seed from Belgium Jeline Vandromme made sure of her progression with a dominant win.
Three more surprise exits were formalised. Sixth seed from Bulgaria Rositsa Dencheva (three sets), seventh seed from Czech Republic Jana Kovackova (straight sets), and eighth seed from Czech Republic Vendula Valdmannova (three sets) were all eliminated.
THAT night, the Traralgon Tennis Association hosted its annual Traralgon International Corporate Dinner.
English cricket legend, Lord Ian Botham was once again in the region as the special guest for the dinner.
Botham was in the region two years ago for a string of sportsman nights with sporting clubs, including the Traralgon Golf Club, where he enjoyed a round.
Botham shared many stories of his career and life at the night which was hosted by Gareth Marriott.
Also making an appearance at the dinner was AGL Loy Yang General Manager, Christo van Niekerk, Latrobe City Council Deputy Mayor, Sharon Gibson, and former Tennis Australia President and Chairman of the Board of Tennis Australia, Geoff Pollard.
AS the third day of play resumed on Sunday, January 12, a clearer picture could be drawn on the potential fancies for the championship.
Boys Number 1 seed, Kumstat, was eliminated in three sets to 14th seed William Rejchtman Winciguerra from Sweden.
Also surprising was the exit of sixth seed Bonding, who also went down in three sets, this time to 10th seed from the US, Max Exsted.
Fifth seed Jagger Leach powered through to the quarter finals, but will face the unknown test of Pleshivtsev, who defeated the second seed in the first round.
Due to those exits, Leach is now the highest seeded player remaining. Following him is seventh seed from Finland Oskari Paldanius, eighth seed from Switzerland Henry Bernet, and Exsted.
Danger will be sensed from Vinciguerra, who beat Kumstat, and the only unseeded player left, Pleshivtsev who continually produces upsets and is yet to drop a set.
During the girls third round matches, qualifier Black progressed to face the Number 1 seed Vandromme after both won. Black defeated 10th seed Mika Buchnik from Israel.
The only Australian still standing is Sydney’s Alana Subasic, who knocked out the 11th seed in the second round, and will now face Chinese qualifier Yihan Qu in the quarter final.
The UK’s Hannah Klugman moved forward. Klugman played at the international last year, so has experience in Traralgon. She and Vandromme are the only two seeded players remaining in the girls singles draw.
DOUBLES action has also got underway.
First seed boys duo consists of Bonding and Leach, who have already stamped themselves into the second round, as has the second seed duo of Kumstat and Exsted. Exsted won the doubles championship last year with Cooper Woestendick.
At the time of print, the girls’ first seeded duo of Bulgaria’s Dencheva and Yaneva were looking primed to progress, while the Czech Republic’s second seed duo of Krejcova and Valdmannova had progressed to the second round, as had US third seed pair Annika and Kristina Penickova.
Facing the Penickova sisters will be the Australian Alame sisters of Renee and Rianna, after they progressed to the second round in straight sets.
Results from the later stages of Monday, January 13 onwards were unknown at the time of print.
The finals for the Traralgon Junior International will take place from 4.30pm today (Wednesday, January 15).
