ITF Tennis - Juniors:: De Bakker Continues Winning Run at Coffee Bowl

ITF Tennis - Juniors:: De Bakker Continues Winning Run at Coffee Bowl ~~~

Establishing himself as the clear favorite heading into the Australian Open, Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands has now won the year's first two big ITF tournaments with his Coffee Bowl title, but he's probably glad he won't be seeing Coffee Bowl finalist Petre-Alexandru Luncanu of Romania in the Southern Hemisphere next week.

Luncanu, who has risen from 50 to 8 in the rankings in just the past two weeks (helped, of course by the ageing out of the 1987 group), isn't entered in the Australian Junior Open, much to the relief of everyone who is. De Bakker, who is now third in the ITF rankings, is sure to be the top seed given the absence of Marin Cilic (1) and Donald Young (2). Those entered in the Australian Open nearly always play the Grade 1 immediately prior; unfortunately, according to the acceptances, and confirmed by this ITF story, Mihaela Buzarnescu won't be among them. Buzarnescu is playing some great tennis now--it's a shame she and compatriot Luncanu won't be competing Down Under.