Parade of Nations Provides Colorful Opening for Eddie Herr

Parade of Nations Provides Colorful Opening for Eddie Herr~~~
©Colette Lewis
--Bradenton FL

The global reach of tennis was never more evident than during today's traditional Parade of Nations. Ninety plus countries are represented this year, a new record--and having each announced as the players march onto Court 15, accompanied by name boards and flags, is reminiscent of an Olympic opening ceremony. And the combination of all age groups and both sexes makes for a wide range of shapes, sizes and demeanors. It's a snapshot of tennis that would do the United Nations proud.

I'm not accustomed to having local daily newspapers cover junior tournaments I attend very much, but the Bradenton Herald is an exception. This story gets at the excitement and tradition that is beginning to build here at the IMG Bolletteri Tennis Academy. Here's a quote:

For tennis lovers, the Herr is an annual feast for the senses. Speculating on which players will make it big as professionals is a popular pastime, and sometimes even the uninitiated grasp what they're seeing.

Five years ago, Bradenton became smitten with a petite, tireless 13-year-old from Sochi, Russia, named Maria Sharapova, whose lyrical game was surpassed only by her will to win. Yuri and Yelena's little girl won the Girls 16s championship, outlasting older rival Myriam Casanova of Switzerland, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.>

As for the actual tennis played today, the second round of the boys and girls 12s were surprisingly uncompetitive, but that may be due to the fact that there are no seeds, so it is possible that the best two players met in the first round, but only one of them is still playing.

In the final round of qualifying, Clint Bowles, Christopher Racz and Mike Gurman were players from the U.S. qualifying for the 18 main draw. Kristy Frilling, Jelena Durisic, Eleanor Peters, Gail Brodsky, Ekaterina Rybakova and Joanna Mather of the U.S. earned places in the main draw in girls 18s.

For full draws please click here.