Junior Tennis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In tennis, a junior is any player under the age of 18 and under the care of a parent or guardian. Players on the main adults' tour who are under 18 have to have forms signed by parents or guardians. These players are eligible to play in junior tournaments.
The ITF conducts a junior tour, which allows juniors to establish a world junior ranking and give them a chance to get an ATP or WTA ranking. Most juniors who enter the international circuit have to do so by progressing through ITF tournaments, Satellites, Futures and Challenger tournaments before entering the main circuit, the latter three of which are also participated in by adults. However, some juniors, such as Australian Lleyton Hewitt and Frenchman Gael Monfils, have catapulted directly from the junior tour to the ATP tour by dominating the junior scene or by taking advantage of opportunities given to them to participate in professional tournaments.
In 2004 the ITF implemented a new rankings scheme to encourage greater participation in doubles, by combining two rankings (singles and doubles) into one combined tally. Junior tournaments do not offer prize money except for the Grand Slams. Juniors may earn income through tennis by participating on the Futures, Satellites or Challenger tours. Tournaments are broken up into different tiers offering different amounts of ranking points, culminating with Grade A and the junior Grand Slams - the most prestigious junior events, which also offer prize money. The current top 10 boys are
- Thiemo de Bakker NED
- Martin Kližan SVK
- Dušan Lojda CZE
- Jonathan Eysseric FRA
- Nicolas Santos BRA
- Alexandre Sidorenko FRA
- Luka Belić CRO
- Donald Young USA
- Petru-Alexandru Luncanu ROM
- Kei Nishikori JPN
The top 10 girls are
- Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS
- Caroline Wozniacki DEN
- Ksenia Milevskaya BLR
...
Grassroots and early development
To succeed in tennis often means having to begin playing at a young age. To facilitate and nurture a junior's growth in tennis, almost every tennis-playing nation has developed a junior development system that aims to develop champions of the future. Juniors can develop their play through a range of tournaments on all surfaces, which accommodate different standards of play. Talented juniors may also receive sponsorships by governing bodies or private institutions and seek to hone their skills in such places as Bollitieri's in Florida and the Sanches Academy in Barcelona. A strong junior base can often be the prerequisite of a future champion.
Junior International Competitions
The ITF has developed international junior tournaments, the "Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas" for boys and the "Junior Fed Cup" for girls. See below for results. In 1991 the u14s competition began, while in 1985 the 16s began. In 2001 the 18s was taken off the shelf.
Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Results under 14s
2006 Italy defeated Japan 2-1, TK Plus, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2005 France defeated Argentina 2-1, TK Plus, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2004 Great Britain defeated Czech Republic 2-1, TK Plus, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2003 USA defeated Japan 2-1, TK Plus, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2002 USA defeated Spain 2-1, TK Prostejov Club, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2001 Germany defeated Yugoslavia 2-0, TK Prostejov Club, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2000 Spain defeated Russia 3-0, TK Prostejov Club, Prostejov, Czech Republic 1999 France defeated Chile 2-1, TK Prostejov Club, Prostejov, Czech Republic 1998 Austria defeated Argentina 3-0, Higashiyama Koen Tennis Centre, Nagoya, Japan 1997 South Africa defeated Czech Republic 2-1, Higashiyama Koen Tennis Centre, Nagoya, Japan 1996 Argentina defeated Sweden 3-0, Higashiyama Keon Tennis Centre, Nagoya, Japan 1995 Great Britain defeated Germany 3-0, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan 1994 Italy defeated Belgium 2-1, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan 1993 France defeated Slovenia 2-1, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan 1992 Austria defeated USA 2-1, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan 1991 Spain defeated Italy 2-1, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan
Under 16s 2005 France defeated Czech Republic 2-0, Barcelona, Spain 2004 Spain defeated Czech Republic 2-1, Barcelona, Spain 2003 Germany defeated France 2-1, Essen, Germany 2002 Spain defeated USA, 3-0, Tennis Country Club Barrière, La Baule, France 2001 Chile defeated Germany, 3-0, Club Palestino, Santiago, Chile 2000 Australia defeated Austria, 2-0, Hiroshima Regional Park Stadium, Hiroshima, Japan 1999 USA defeated Croatia, 3-0, Perth, Australia 1998 Spain defeated Croatia, 2-1, Cuneo, Italy 1997 Czech Republic defeated Venezuela, 2-0, Burnaby Tennis Club, Vancouver, Canada 1996 France defeated Australia 2-1, Zurich, Switzerland 1995 Germany defeated Czech Republic 3-0, Essen, Germany 1994 Netherlands defeated Austria 2-1, Tucson, Arizona, USA 1993 France defeated New Zealand 2-1, Wellington, New Zealand 1992 France defeated Germany 2-1, Castelldefels, Spain 1991 Spain defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1, Barcelona, Spain 1990 USSR defeated Australia 2-1, Rotterdam, Netherlands 1989 West Germany defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1, Asuncion, Paraguay 1988 Czechoslovakia defeated USA 2-1, Perth, Australia 1987 Australia defeated Netherlands 3-0, Freiburg, West Germany 1986 Australia defeated USA 2-1, Tokyo, Japan 1985 Australia defeated USA 2-1, Kobe, Japan
Under 18s 2001 Russia defeated Argentina 2-0 2000 USA defeated Spain 2-0 1999 France defeated Argentina 2-0 1998 France defeated Russia 3-0 1997 France defeated Germany 2-1 1996 France defeated Germany 2-0 1995 USA defeated Argentina 2-1 1994 Argentina defeated Spain 2-1 1993 Brazil defeated Chile 2-1 1992 Spain defeated USA 2-0 1991 Spain defeated France 2-1 1990 USSR 1989 Canada 1988 France 1987 USSR 1986 Spain 1985 Argentina 1984 USA 1983 Spain 1982 France 1981 Sweden 1980 Sweden 1979 USA 1978 Spain 1977 France
Junior Fed Cup under 14s 2006 Ukraine defeated Russia 2-1, TK Plus, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2005 Russia defeated Japan 3-0, TK Plus, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2004 Belarus defeated Austria 2-1, TK Plus, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2003 Czech Republic defeated Russia 2-1, TK Plus, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2002 Netherlands defeated Poland 3-0, TK Prostejov Club, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2001 Czech Republic defeated Russia 2-1, TK Prostejov Club, Prostejov, Czech Republic 2000 Russia defeated Czech Republic 3-0, TK Prostejov Club, Prostejov, Czech Republic 1999 Russia defeated Slovak Republic 2-1, TK Prostejov Club, Prostejov, Czech Republic 1998 Czech Republic defeated Russia 2-1, Higashiyama Koen Tennis Centre, Nagoya, Japan 1997 Russia defeated Slovak Republic 2-1, Higashiyama Koen Tennis Centre, Nagoya, Japan 1996 Slovak Republic defeated Great Britain 3-0, Higashiyama Keon Tennis Centre, Nagoya, Japan 1995 Slovenia defeated Hungary 2-1, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan 1994 Germany defeated Czech Republic 2-1, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan 1993 Germany defeated USA 2-1, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan 1992 USA defeated Australia 3-0, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan 1991 Czechoslovakia defeated Australia 3-0, Yamanakako Tennis Club, Japan
under 16s 2005 Poland beat France 2-0 2004 Argentina defeated Canada 2-0 2003 Netherlands defeated Canada 2-1 2002 Belarus defeated Czech Republic, 3-0, Tennis Country Club Barrière, La Baule, France 2001 Czech Republic defeated Poland, 3-0, Club Palestino, Santiago, Chile 2000 Czech Republic defeated Hungary, 2-1, Hiroshima Japan 1999 Argentina defeated Slovak Republic, 2-1, Perth, Australia 1998 Italy defeated Slovak Republic, 2-1, Cuneo, Italy 1997 Russia defeated France, 2-0, Burnaby Tennis Club, Vancouver, Canada 1996 Slovenia defeated Germany 2-1, Zurich, Switzerland 1995 France defeated Germany 2-1, Essen, Germany 1994 South Africa defeated France 3-0, Tucson, Arizona, USA 1993 Australia defeated USA 2-1, Wellington, New Zealand 1992 Belgium defeated Argentina 3-0, Castelldefels, Spain 1991 Germany defeated Paraguay 2-1, Barcelona, Spain 1990 Netherlands defeated USSR 2-1, Rotterdam, Netherlands 1989 West Germany defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1, Asuncion, Paraguay 1988 Australia defeated Argentina 3-0, Perth, Australia 1987 Australia defeated USSR 2-1, Freiburg, West Germany 1986 Belgium defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1, Tokyo, Japan 1985 Czechoslovakia defeated Australia 3-0, Kobe, Japan
under 18s
2001 Russia defeated Croatia 2-0 2000 USA defeated Estonia 2-1 1999 Russia defeated Spain 2-0 1998 Russia defeated Spain 2-1 1997 Slovenia defeated Russia 2-1 1996 Spain defeated USA 3-0 1995 Russia defeated Spain 2-1 1994 Italy defeated Hungary 2-1 1993 Argentina defeated Poland 3-0 1992 USA defeated Italy 2-1 1991 USA defeated Netherlands 2-0 1990 Spain 1989 USA 1988 Argentina 1987 USSR 1986 Czechoslovakia 1985 Argentina 1984USA 1983 USA 1982 Italy 1981 USA 1980 USA 1979 Peru 1978 USA 1977 USA 1976 USA
[edit] Sources
Websites
Books
- Official Guide to Professional Tennis, 2005
