Junior Update: San Jose Success for Young Canadians

We might solely be just a few weeks into 2024, however already Canadians on the junior tour are seeing success, particularly within the Costa Rican metropolis of San Jose.

There was additionally the primary Grand Slam of the 12 months, the place one Canadian had a career-best efficiency.

Let’s meet up with the newest information from Canada’s juniors.

Rice Representing at Australian Open

Just one Canadian competed on the first junior Grand Slam of the 12 months, that being 17-year-old Keegan Rice from Regina, SK.

Rice had his higher end result on the Australian Open within the doubles, the place he and companion Roy Horovitz of the USA reached the quarter-finals. It was the primary time in Rice’s profession that he reached the final eight at a Grand Slam in both singles or doubles.

By means of two rounds, Rice and Horovitz cruised, not dropping a set in opposition to both the all-Brazilian pair of Enzo Kohlmann de Freitas and Pedro Rodrigues within the first spherical or Timofei Derepasko and Daniil Sarksian in spherical two.

Their run got here to an finish within the quarter-finals by the hands of the eventual champions Maxwell Exsted and Cooper Woestendick of the USA.

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In singles, Rice reached the second spherical, beating Rodrigues within the first spherical in straight units after which falling to Anas Mazdrashki of Hungary in straight units.

The primary-round win was Rice’s first singles win in Melbourne. He has now gotten into the second spherical of the final three majors he has performed.

San Jose Stars

It’s apparently not only for trip that Canadians wish to fly south within the winter, however for good tennis outcomes too.

San Jose, Costa Rica hosted a few ITF J100 occasions and a J300 the place the younger Canadians noticed success in January.

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The second of the 2 J100s was the place the Canadians did their greatest, laying their palms on each doubles trophies.

Twins Mikael and Nicolas Arseneault introduced house the boys doubles title, defeating the all-American pair of Nathan Blokhin and Mark Krupkin in straight units within the remaining. The Arseneaults narrowly squeaked into the ultimate, having gained their semi 14-12 within the match tiebreak.

It’s the third profession ITF junior doubles title for the twins, and the most important one but because it was their first J100.

There was practically an all-Canadian remaining within the doubles, as Adam Faragcao and Stephane Pierre-Jo Kamendje obtained to the semis, the place they misplaced to Blokhin and Krupkin. The Canadians had taken out the No. 1 seeds within the first spherical.

Naomi Xu made it a Canadian double by claiming the ladies doubles title on the similar occasion alongside American companion Jessica Bernales. The third-seeded tandem took out the highest seeds within the semifinals earlier than defeating fourth-seeded Brits Brooke Blackand and Flora Johnson in straight units to raise the trophy.

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The win is the third ITF doubles title of Xu’s profession. She now has at the very least one title in three consecutive seasons.

It was practically a double delight for the 17-year-old as she additionally reached the singles remaining with out dropping a set, however was crushed within the title match by Krisha Mahendran of India.

The week prior in San Jose at one other J100, Addison Yang Comiskey and Raphaelle Leroux got here near grabbing the primary trophy of the 12 months for Canada, reaching the ladies doubles remaining with out dropping a set, however they misplaced to the highest seeds Mariia Drobysheva and Julieta Pareja.

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Lastly, the final of the three San Jose occasions was the most important, a J300, and the Arseneaults very practically constructed on their success by including what would have been one other largest profession title.

They reached the ultimate, upsetting the highest seeds Stiles Brockett and Nikita Filin of the USA 11-9 within the match tiebreak of their quarter-final conflict on route, however misplaced within the remaining in two tight units to a different all-American pair, Noah Johnston and Benjamin Willwerth.