At The Open With Marcia Frost...

Sunday, September 3rd-Junior Singles, Day One
The biggest upset in the Junior Championships was also one of the most exciting matches of the day. Sam Warburg, who finished last year No. 4 in the Boys' 16s, upset fifth-seeded Adrian Cruciat of Romania.

Warburg and Cruciat split the first two sets in a battle of powerful serves and volleys. The race continued in the third set until they had just hit the 5-4 mark. That's when the rain came in. After a nearly five hour rain-delay, the match resumed with Warburg serving. The two 17-year-olds continued to fight over every point until they reached 6-6 and were forced into a tiebreaker.

The tiebreaker proved to be the breaking point for Cruciat as Warburg easily dominated. He won 7/3 for a match score of 3-6,6-4,7-6(3). Warburg will face fellow American Josh Cohen in the next round.

Sixteen-year-old Cohen, currently ranked No. 2 in the USTA Boys' 16s and No. 74 in the 18s, had an easier time winning his match against Hamid Mirzadeh. While the two Floridians seemed well matched, a pulled stomach muscle kept Mirzadeh from fully participating in the match.

Cohen took the first set in just twenty-five minutes with little pressure. When he had reached the 4-0 lead in the second set, Mirzadeh finally admitted that he was still having problems with a past injury and requested a trainer. The trainer arrived and administered treatment during the break and each break following, but it wasn't enough to keep Mirzadeh on his game and he succumbed, 6-2,6-2.

Candice Fuchs, an 18-year-old from San Diego, easily got past Aiko Nakamura of Japan in her first round match. It was all Fuchs through the first set as she blanked Nakamura. After Fuchs served to 1-0 in the second, Nakamura won her first game. Though she won two more, she couldn't hold back Fuchs and lost, 6-0,6-3.

For her second round match, Fuchs will face No. 6 seed Renata Voracova of India. Voracova today eliminated Kelly McCain of Largo, Florida, 6-3,6-1. McCain, who is currently ranked 2nd in the USTA Girls' 18s (she finished 1999 as No. 1), kept Voracova moving throughout the first set. Voracova's game wins were not easy as McCain brought her to deuce a number of times, but Voracova prevailed.

I was really looking forward to the match between Philipe Gubenco of Canada and Kentucky's Matthew Emery. Unfortunately, the rain delay caused a very late start and I succumbed to exhaustion and fear of a long drive home. I was correct in presuming it would be a great match. It was a tough fight with Gubenco pulling it out 7/6(4),7-6(3). I will catch both of these talented teens in doubles.