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NEWS & EVENTS
Ramazzotti continues to impress
Sunday, March 16, 2014



Unseeded Italian Samuele Ramazzotti continued his impressive run at the 49th International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Circuit to book his berth in the final.

He knocked out 11th seed Katsuya Ikezoi from Japan 6-4, 6-4, to set up his championship match against Japan's Shohei Chikami at 9am today.

Chikami secured his position after a four-hour long 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win against compatriot 13th seed Yousuke Watanuki at the National Tennis Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

Ramazzotti's coach of 10 years, Latini Luca said that reaching the final was tough but not unexpected.

"We were hoping to get to the final but you know only one in a lot of players can do it," Luca told The Brunei Times.

"To be unseeded is not a good thing because you can meet a good player in the first round but it's (unavoidable) since he only started playing in the ITF in October because he was born in 1999... so it's normal that he has to do it step by step.

"It is a good result that can help bring him to the top 500 so next time he will be seeded.

"Chikami will be a tough match because he's a very good and smart player, so I hope it will be a good final," added Luca.

Ramazzotti spent a week prior to the tournament in Malaysia taking part in the 7th ITF Malacca International Junior Championship 2014 where he lasted until the third round of the boys' singles before going on to lift the trophy in the boys' doubles.

The Italian partnered with Turkey's Kaya Gore for their 2-6, 6-3, 10-4 victory against fourth seeds Chikami and Watanuki in the final.

Despite taking second place during the boys' doubles in Malacca, Chikami was the boys' singles champion, beating Singapore's Yong Jie Isaac Ong 6-4, 6-1 in the final.

"Coming from Japan where it's really cold, I've had to endure the hot weather here," said Chikami.

"I'm confident that I can win the final," he added.

The girls' singles final will see 12th seed Yang Lee from Chinese Taipei take on 15th seed Qi-Li Ma from China at 9am today.

Lee earned her spot after knocking out 11th seed Mihika Yadav from India 6-2, 6-2 while Ma secured her slot after a marathon 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 win over sixth seed Khim Iglupas from the Philippines.

The Indonesian duo of Anthony Susanto and Tio Juliandi Hutauruk who are ranked first seeds in the boys' doubles were crowned champions after taking out eighth seeds Tin Chen and Chun Han Tsai from Chinese Taipei 6-3, 3-6, 11-9.

The girls' doubles final saw top seeds Miyo Kobayashi from Japan and Yi-Chi Ma from Chinese Taipei outplay fifth seeds Lee and Ma 3-6, 6-3, 11-9 to take top honours.

Courtesy from Brunei Times