Ivanov makes history for Bulgaria in Junior Orange Bowl tennis

History was made at the USTA Junior Orange Bowl Championships on a picturesque Tuesday, but not American hopeful Jack Kennedy.

His opponent, Bulgaria’s Ivan Ivanov, was far too strong for the brainstorming of Kennedy, the sixth seed from Huntington, New York, who fell 6-2, 6-3 in the boys’ 14 final. on the hard courts at the Biltmore Tennis Center.

Ivanov, who is likely to be ranked No. 1 in Europe-14U; He became the first Bulgarian boy to win the tournament’s 14-year-old championship in its 61-year history. He overtook compatriot Grigor Dimitrov, who was a finalist in 2005, and finished third in his career on the ATP Tour in 2017 (now 28^th).

Of course I’m proud, but that’s okay; it’s under 14, so we’re going to keep going, admitted the 5-foot-10, muscular Ivanov, 14, who began full-time training at Rafael Nadals Tennis Academy in Spain in August. Jack is a really good player, but attacking is my style. I tried to do my best move to be faster, stronger and I think I did it.

It was a historic clean sweep of the 14 categories for players in the ITF Grand Slam Player Development Program, which awards scholarships to 12 juniors from Europe and pays all their expenses. Another recipient, Adelina Lachinova, the fourth seed from Latvia, became the first boy or girl from her country to win the Junior Orange Bowl 14s title when she stunned top-seeded Britain’s Hannah Klugman 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. thus avenging her loss at the ITF Junior Tennis 14U Team Championships in August in the Czech Republic.

It was on clay; this was difficult, Lachinova smiled through Russian translator Tomas Laukys, whose son Tomas Jr. reached the quarterfinals of the boys’ 12 division last week.

The normally in-form Klugman appeared suspicious from the outset, and a code violation for an audible obscenity gave Lachinova an early break. The Wimbledon native and resident, who owns the entire court with a solid attack with a formidable serve, had cruised through his first six matches without dropping a set, conceding just 13 games.

On Tuesday, Klugman was only 13 years old and already ranked 489th^th in the ITF world 18 and under 18 ranks, never seemed comfortable with Lachinovas’ slower balls and was too impatient to stay in long rallies with an opponent who rarely committed errors. Klugman’s powerful serve was negated by a sore shoulder that led to several double faults and a medical timeout.

“I just didn’t play right,” said Klugman, who committed an uncharacteristically uncharacteristic 31 unforced errors in the first two sets to Lachinovas’ 21.

I was all over the place in the first set. I wasn’t ready to stay at the protests. Obviously he gets a lot back, but he takes it when you don’t have it, overplaying, which I did in the first set and also at the end. It’s a good learning experience.

Lachinova got a critical break in the third set at 3-3 with Klugman’s second incorrect forehand and remained at 5-3. He broke Klugman again when the Brit turned a simple midfield header into the net. Lachinova fell to the ground and seconds later screamed with joy.

I can’t believe I won, an emotional Lachinova said. I am very happy that I won this tournament [started] With 128 girls and I’m the best. I am proud of myself.

While Kennedy didn’t win the Bigger Orange Bowl in the trophy bowl, Russian immigrant Christina Lyutova, the No. 1 seed playing in the US (the USTA allows it because she has a green card) accomplished her goal of the year to win the girls. 12 title after losing in the final last year with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 marathon victory over the 2nd seed Yeri Hong of Korea.

When I was down 1-4 in the first set [new] The goal was just to focus and hit every ball in, said Lyutova, 12, who lives in Redmond, Wash., where she trains at Gorin Tennis Academy. I wanted to win since last year [lost] in the final.

The 12-year-old Hong, who captured his title at the Eddie Herr International Championship in Bradenton a few weeks ago, was undefeated in his first trip from Korea.

Capitalizing on a consistent attack with a wicked crosscourt backhand, Hong went 4-1 up in the deciding set before nerves kicked in, allowing Lyutova to win the final five games. Match point was an early Christmas present when Hongs wild backhand went astray.

“When she started missing, I felt like I could do it,” said Lyutova, who edged out Eddie Herr to win the girls’ 14s USTA National Indoors in Toledo, Ohio, in November. I just wanted to win so much.

Not quite American, but Lyutova became the first US representative to beat Clervie Ngounoue in 2018. Next month, he will move up two age levels to play in the USTA Winter Nationals 16s in Orlando. Lyutova said that she wants a cat for Christmas, but is happy to settle for the Orange Bowl prize.

The opportunistic Kennedy hadn’t dropped a set in his first six matches, in part because he didn’t face a seed higher than No. 17 after the second and fourth seeds pulled out at the last minute. Kennedy, who had a great month and year, won the USTA Clay Courts singles and doubles, the Herr doubles title and, before coming to Miami, was part of the winning US team at the Americas Cup in Orlando.

It’s definitely been an exciting month, full of ups and downs in tournaments, said Kennedy, who heads to Costa Rica in January to play the ITF J4s. This is not the result I wanted. I knew he was a great player, but I was really shocked how great he played in the first set.

This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 5:33 p.m.