Aussie girls score epic victory at WJT Finals
While Australia's boys' team cruised to victory, our girls' squad gritted their way to an epic victory over the Italians at the ITF World Junior Tennis Finals on Tuesday.
Prostejov, Czech Republic, 7 August 2013 | tennis.com.au
Australia’s girls team has scored an incredible come-from-behind victory to remain undefeated at the ITF World Junior Tennis Finals in Prostejov, Czech Republic.
The team, seeded third and the highest-seeded nation in Group B, beat Italy 2-1 to move into second place in its group behind the United States, whom they will face on Wednesday for a berth in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, the Australian boys’ team vaulted to the top of its round-robin group with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Italy.
Alex De Minaur opened the tie with a 6-1 6-2 win over Guido Marson, before Alexei Popyrin clinched victory with a 6-1 6-7(3) 6-4 decision over Nicolas Merzetti in the second singles rubber.
Australia iced a 3-0 triumph when Popyrin and Kody Pearson combined for a comfortable 6-3 6-3 win over Merzetti and Andrea Trapani in the doubles rubber.
The boys will on Wednesday face Brazil in their final round-robin match, with a win seeing them qualify for the semifinals.
> click here for Day 2 results
Yet for the Aussie girls, it was a far grittier struggle; the team required seven hours to subdue the Italians in the extreme heat of Prostejov.
Jaimee Fourlis battled hard against Tatiana Pieri, holding a set point in the second set before going down 6-4 7-6(2).
It looked like Australia were going to be handed a defeat when Destanee Aiava went down 6-4 5-0 in the second singles rubber against Arianna Capogrosso.
Yet Aiava staged a stunning turnaround, saving a match point before recovering to win 4-6 7-5 6-1. “This was an absolutely amazing comeback that kept the tie alive,” observed Simon Youl, Australia’s girls’ team captain.
Fourlis and Aiava then combined in the decisive doubles rubber, winning a closely-fought match over Pieri and Capogrosso 6-3 6-4.
“The day was an emotional roller coaster for all and we will even be stronger from this going into the next tie,” said Youl.
“It was a tough day in tennis and we all learned much from the experience.”