Normally our Juniors play in South America on the COSAT Circuit (Jan-Apr) but rarely appear at any other time. This year there are 2 parties over here. Five of our top 1998 boys, including Jay Clarke and Sam Ferguson, are in Argentina for 3 Grade 5s - gaining experience but with little success in the first week (only Jay reached the last 16). Jazzi Plews and Lana Rush have meanwhile arrived in Brazil for a couple of Grade 3s and a Grade 4
R1 (L32)
(4) Jazzi Plews (GBR) v Maria Vitoria Beirao (BRA)
Jazzi and Lana take full advantage of their draws to reach the semis. One more win for either would probably be enough for the top 200. However it gets more difficult here, especially for Lana. Lana tackles the girl who played second singles for Brazil last week, who finished third in the Junior Fed Cup. Jazzi has the unusual experience for her of playing a younger girl (1999) in an ITF, who upset the top seed in the quarters
QF
(4) Jazzi Plews (GBR) d. Luisa Rosa (BRA) 6-2 6-4 (2) Lana Rush (GBR) d. Ivone Alvaro (POR) 6-4 7-6(4)
SF
Pei-Ju Chien (TPE) v (4) Jazzi Plews (GBR) (5) Carolina Meligeni Rodrigues Alves (BRA) v (2) Lana Rush (GBR)
No official scores from the ITF, but according to the Brazilian Federation website "O título feminino da categoria 18 anos ficou com a britânica Jazzi Plews, que superou a brasileira Carolina Meligeni Alves em três sets, com parciais de 6/4, 1/6 e 6/2." so a wonderful week for our 1998s with Jazzi picking up her third consecutive ITF title and racing into the top 200. She is only the third 1998 to reach this milestone, behind Tornado and a Chinese girl called Xu who has just won back to back Grade 2 and Grade 3 in China, and will be ranked around 100 next week.
