First Round action on the Costa Rica Country Club courts commenced on Monday 19 and finished Tuesday with 5 Boys matches completed and 1 to go in night play, and 5 Girls matches. Play was intense on both sides with great tennis enjoyment for the fans.
The 5 Boys matches all went down in straight sets, including a couple of upsets. Wild Card Felix Roussel of Canada ranked 761 eliminated qualifier Sean GROSMAN of USA ranked 192 by the surprisingly easy score of 6-1, 6-4, and another qualifier Daniel MALACEK of USA ranked 267 defeated no. 2 seed Benjamin AZAR of Canada ranked 70 by 7-5, 6-2. This second match really opens up the bottom half of the Boys draw since Lenny PETIT of Monaco, seeded 7 was eliminated yesterday. There are now no seeds in the bottom quarter of the draw. The 3 other Boys matches looked to be very promising but scores were surprisingly one sided. Rhys LAWLOR of GBR ranked 88 faced off against Angel VELIZ of Ecuador ranked 94 in what looked to be a grueling match yet the Englishman prevailed fairly easily 6-4, 6-2. Dan BRAND of Israel ranked 74 put away Theo HEGARTY of USA ranked 157 by 7-5, 6-3, and finally, the aptly named Agassi RUSHER of USA ranked 91 easily put away Mexican Mauricio SCHTULMANN (156) by the score of 6-1, 6-0. Six seeded players remain in the Boys Draw.
Girls matches today were very entertaining, especially the only 3 setter where AYRAULT of USA came from behind to eliminate the tough Sona DEPESOVA of Slovakia 4-6, 7-6, 6-2. Hard hitting Hannah, coming out of the Qualy, fought back to force a second set tiebreak, and then dominated the discouraged Slovak in the third set. Great tennis. In the other Girls matches qualifier Daniella BRITTON (of course from GBR) ranked 209 eliminated Kaya MOE of USA ranked 196 by 6-3, 7-6; Israeli Ofir MANHARD (187) defeated American qualifier Teaghan KEYS (391) by 6-4, 6-1; Ireland O’BRIEN of USA (119) easily dispatched wild card Romina GARCIA DOMINGUEZ (329) by 6-3, 6-0; and wild card Allison WANG of USA (496) ousted qualifier Aoi WATANABE (399) of Japan by 6-2, 6-4. Six seeds remain in the Girls Draw, including the top 4.
