The final week of the ITF Junior Circuit climaxes with the most well-known of the 7 non grand slam Grade As - the Orange Bowl in Florida. Although the top 10 ranked girls are absent (most have stopped playing junior events outside slams) there are several girls vying with top seed Ella McDonald for places in the year ending top 10. One of these is the Japanese girl who lost out in a 4hr 23 minute marathon to Tereza Valentova in Bradenton yesterday (who lost the final today to Mayu Crossley), and it remains to be seen whether or not that will have an impact on her first round match with Hephzibah Oluwadare . Mingge Xu is seeded to meet Kaitlin Quevedo in round 3 - her nemesis in the Guadalajara final Athina Schlepphorst lost in qualifying
Mimi also goes down 6-1 6-3. Her opponent was the 14 year old who double bagelled Hannah K in the World Juniors.
Phoenix is a set down but Imogen has just taken the first set 7-5
The day's singles are at least bookended with wins. However both Luca and Imogen are up against it in round 2. Luca has the JWR6, who has reached the final or won his last 6 junior events outside grand slams, while Imogen takes on the last Grade A winner Clervie Ngounoue in doubles Ranah and Mimi team up, Ella doesn't play and the other 3 team up with non-Brits, as does Luca
Look out for the results of the top 8 seeds here, all of which could oust Ella from her current top 10 ranking. Girls ranked 6-10 after this week can obtain up to 5 junior exempt spots into $25K tournaments next year. Girls ranked 11-20 are only eligible for $15K tournament exempt spots
Boys R1 (L64)
Luca Pow d. Aayush P Bhat (USA) 6-3 6-3
(WC) Andrew Delgado (USA) d. Phoenix Weir 6-4 6-4
R2
(1) Gerard Campana Lee (KOR) v Luca Pow
Girls R1 (L64)
(1) Ella McDonald v Ava Krug (USA)
(4) Sayaka Ishii (JPN) v Hephzibah Oluwadare
(WC) Shannon Lam (USA) d. (10) Mingge Xu 6-1 6-3
Anna Sedysheva (***) d. (9) Ranah Akua Stoiber 7-5 6-3
Malwina Rowinska (POL) v Isabelle Lacy
Imogen Haddad d. Natalia Perez (PUR) 7-5 6-4
Look out for the results of the top 8 seeds here, all of which could oust Ella from her current top 10 ranking. Girls ranked 6-10 after this week can obtain up to 5 junior exempt spots into $25K tournaments next year. Girls ranked 11-20 are only eligible for $15K tournament exempt spots
There's a slight change to women's JE next year. For 6 to 10, one of the 5 can be a 40K. For 11 to 20, one of the 5 can be a 25K.
Not ranked nearly high enough to play here. J2/3 is her level.
Hannah has a ranking that would have put her in the main draw. She's not playing her because I think she's played 10 junior tour events, which is all she is allowed to play as a 13 yo. She is playing the Junior Orange Bowl next week.
Thanks for the updated information Lambda. The good news is that Ella is now guaranteed a top 10 finish after losses to 3 top 8 seeds and the withdrawal of a 4th. That just leaves Ella, Tereza Valentova (already ahead), Clervie Ngounoue and Kaitlin Quevedo. Since two of the current top 10 (Petra Marcinko and Diana Shnaider - last year's finalists) will drop below Ella she is safe in 10th spot. Ella has just started her round 1 match.
Girls R1 (L64)
(1) Ella McDonald v Ava Krug (USA)
Hephzibah Oluwadare d. (4) Sayaka Ishii (JPN) 6-3 7-5
(WC) Shannon Lam (USA) d. (10) Mingge Xu 6-1 6-3
Anna Sedysheva (***) d. (9) Ranah Akua Stoiber 7-5 6-3
Malwina Rowinska (POL) d. Isabelle Lacy 6-0 6-4
Imogen Haddad d. Natalia Perez (PUR) 7-5 6-4
R2
Hephzibah Oluwadare v Anya Murthy (USA)
(5) Clervie Ngounoue (USA) v Imogen Haddad