O artigo sobre a vitória de Michelle na prestigiada TennisWeek, publicação que pertence ao Grupo IMG.Curiosa a fotografia que pinta o artigo de Michelle com o seu cão Armani.
All good streaks must come to an end.
After winning 27 straight matches on the ITF Junior Circuit, American Melanie Oudin (Marietta, Ga.) fell 7-5, 6-3 to Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal Sunday in the Orange Bowl girls' 18s singles final at Key Biscayne's Crandon Park.
Moments earlier, Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis ended Uladzimir Ignatik's six-month reign atop the junior tennis rankings by defeating Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-2 in the boys' 18s singles final.
Larcher de Brito and Berankis are the first Orange Bowl singles champions from their countries in the event's 61-year history.
"I haven't won a tournament the whole year so finally winning one is really great," said Larcher de Brito.
She started slowly as Oudin, 16, raced from side to side behind the baseline and mixed backhand slices and top spin forehands to jump to a 3-0 lead. Oudin had four break points to make it 4-Love but couldn't convert, opening the door for the Portuguese player to make a comeback.
Larcher de Brito didn't hold back on her heavy groundstrokes, punishing down-the-line forehands and backhands then finishing points at the net, even when she wasn't confident doing so.
"There was one point where I went to the net and I panicked a little bit and nearly pee-ed in my pants because I was at the net and I don't like it," said Larcher de Brito. "I was losing in the first set, down 4-2, and it was an important point too. But I actually won the point so it went okay."
Larcher de Brito broke Oudin three times in the first set before clinching it when the American framed a crosscourt forehand wide.
She continued dictating play in the second set, breaking Oudin to start, then holding serve when she followed a down-the-line forehand to net again and put away a short crosscourt forehand for a winner.
Aiming for her fifth straight ITF junior title, Oudin continued to fight, hitting three winners to break Larcher de Brito when she served for the match. But serving at 3-5, 40-30, Oudin double-faulted , and Larcher de Brito cashed in her first match point when Oudin hit a forehand approach into the net.
"She's improved a lot and we just played one great match," said Larcher de Brito, who will play professional tennis in 2008. "I had to go for everything and push myself to the limit to actually win it."
Moments earlier, Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis ended Uladzimir Ignatik's six-month reign atop the junior tennis rankings by defeating Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-2 in the boys' 18s singles final.
Larcher de Brito and Berankis are the first Orange Bowl singles champions from their countries in the event's 61-year history.
"I haven't won a tournament the whole year so finally winning one is really great," said Larcher de Brito.
She started slowly as Oudin, 16, raced from side to side behind the baseline and mixed backhand slices and top spin forehands to jump to a 3-0 lead. Oudin had four break points to make it 4-Love but couldn't convert, opening the door for the Portuguese player to make a comeback.
Larcher de Brito didn't hold back on her heavy groundstrokes, punishing down-the-line forehands and backhands then finishing points at the net, even when she wasn't confident doing so.
"There was one point where I went to the net and I panicked a little bit and nearly pee-ed in my pants because I was at the net and I don't like it," said Larcher de Brito. "I was losing in the first set, down 4-2, and it was an important point too. But I actually won the point so it went okay."
Larcher de Brito broke Oudin three times in the first set before clinching it when the American framed a crosscourt forehand wide.
She continued dictating play in the second set, breaking Oudin to start, then holding serve when she followed a down-the-line forehand to net again and put away a short crosscourt forehand for a winner.
Aiming for her fifth straight ITF junior title, Oudin continued to fight, hitting three winners to break Larcher de Brito when she served for the match. But serving at 3-5, 40-30, Oudin double-faulted , and Larcher de Brito cashed in her first match point when Oudin hit a forehand approach into the net.
"She's improved a lot and we just played one great match," said Larcher de Brito, who will play professional tennis in 2008. "I had to go for everything and push myself to the limit to actually win it."
Foto : @Getty Images
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário