Girls: 2016 Junior Fed Cup finals, Budapest, Hungary, clay (Week 39)

wolf · Tennis legend

Girls: 2016 Junior Fed Cup finals, Budapest, Hungary, clay (Week 39)

paulisi · Tennis legend

Fran Jones is blonde, Nell Miller has darker hair

DavidC · Tennis legend

The top 4 seeds all made the semis - we were the only nation to force a decisive doubles though. Tomorrow is the 5th-8th play-offs against the Czech Republic (seeded 6) which may well be streamed, as the semi-finals are not until Saturday.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Pretty good showing by the girls so far, I always feel the Czech s will be competitive appear to generate an endless stream of talent for such a small nation.

DavidC · Tennis legend

Oakland2002 wrote:
Pretty good showing by the girls so far, I always feel the Czech s will be competitive appear to generate an endless stream of talent for such a small nation.

Yes - the Czech Republic has been hosting the World Juniors (under 14) for over a decade and Europe has a quota of places for those finals. In theory one of those countries lose out if the Czech Republic as hosts do not qualify (ie if there are 6 places, then the 6th team would miss out if the Czechs were not in the top 6) but that rarely if ever happens.

Today Nell was given the opportunity to play singles for the first time, but made no impression on Karolina Berankova, going down 6-2 6-2 Fran has been in terrific form here, and clobbered one of the star under 14s Denisa Hindova (currently ranked 3 in Europe) 1 & 1 to set up another deciding doubles. Fran and Eliz came up just short, going down 6-3 0-6 [10-8] As a result we play Thailand for 7th place

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Glad to hear Nel got a singles opportunity. One can't help be amazed by Fran, fullstop.

DavidC · Tennis legend

The 7th-8th play-off is following a similar course to our last 2 matches - losing the number 2 singles (Thasaporn Naklo d. Eliz Maloney 6-4 6-4) but winning the number 1 singles (Fran Jones d. Watsachol Sawasdee 6-3 7-6(3) ) so setting up a decisive doubles

Similarly the Junior Fed Cup final will be decided by the doubles. Pole Iga Swiatek's burgeoning reputation has been enhanced further with comfortable wins over Olesya Pervushina (JWR3) in the semis and Amanda Anisimova (JWR4) in the final today against the US

DavidC · Tennis legend

In the doubles Fran/Eliz were a set and 5-3 down but recovered to take it in a match tiebreak (3-6 7-5 [12-10]), saving 3 matchpoints so finish 7th. Poland won the doubles and hence the trophy for the first time since the Radwanska sisters in 2005. Russia won the Davis Cup despite the efforts of US Open Champion Felix Auger-Aliassime for defending champions Canada

Spectator · All-time great

Francesca Jones is quite something. Well done to her, and to the team as a whole. And I am really looking forward to seeing her progress!