One of the world’s most celebrated juniors tournaments, the 62nd annual Orange Bowl, took place at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Key Biscayne from December 7 thru 14. For most players, it is a stepping-stone to greatness. Some of the past winners include Roger Federer, Jim Courier, Bjorn Borg, Mary Joe Fernandez, and Chris Evert. Therefore, MiamiTennisBlog.com was on the scene scouting out the game’s future champions.
In the finals of the girls’ 18 category, wildcard entrant Julia Boserup from Boca Raton defeated another wildcard participant Christina McHale from New Jersey 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. These two competitors are pupils at the USTA Player Development Facility in Boca Raton. Other names deserving of a few lines include junior Wimbledon Champion and second seed, Laura Robson of Great Britain who retired in the quarterfinals and Nevada resident Asia Muhammad, Andre Agassi’s protégé, a gifted player who reached the third round in singles. Muhammad did pick up the doubles trophy along with Lauren Embree from Marco Island.
Indian Yuki Bhambri, the second seed, stopped Georgia denizen Jamere Jenkins, ranked 78th, from winning the boys’ 18 title, beating him in two sets 6-1, 6-3. Jenkins partnered with Devin Britton from Mississippi and exacted a bit of revenge by prevailing in the doubles final over Bhambri and Chase Buchanan from Ohio. An unseeded player ousted top seed and junior French Open champion, Tsung-Hua Yang of Taiwan, in the third round.