Jodoin Enjoys Clean Sweep in Panama

March 16, 2009

Bouchard reaches semis at top line event in Paraguay 

Marianne Jodoin (Varennes, Quebec) was perfect last week at the Panama Bowl, a Grade 4 ITF Junior clay court event held in Llanos de Curundu, Panama.

The 16-year old took home the singles and doubles titles at a tournament that was doused with some truly Canadian flavour. In singles, Jodoin, seeded second, defeated American qualifier Leyla Erkan 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the final to capture her first singles crown of the season.

In fact, five of Jodoin’s compatriots advanced to the quarter-final stage of the event, which set up an all-Canadian semifinal clash between National Training Centre (NTC) members Jodoin and sixth-seeded Elisabeth Abanda (Montreal), which Jodoin won rather easily 6-3, 6-2.

In doubles, Jodoin and partner Elianne Douglas-Miron (Ottawa), another participant in the NTC program, lived up to their top-seeded billing by reaching the final where they eliminated the second-seeded duo of Colombia’s Melissa Bolivar and Laurie Gingras (Beauport, Quebec), the fourth NTC member taking part in the tournament, 7-6(6), 7-5. Jodoin and Douglas-Miron did not drop a set en route to the title.

Jodoin’s successful week in Panama has allowed her to attain a new career-best ITF Junior ranking of no. 140.

Bouchard continues her surge in Paraguay

Eugenie Bouchard (Westmount, Quebec) continued to turn heads last week at the Asuncion Bowl, a Grade 1 ITF Junior clay court event played in Lambare, Paraguay.

As the tournament’s thirteenth seed, the 15-year old reached her first Grade 1 semifinal, posting some solid wins along the way. In the Round of 16, Bouchard upset second-seeded Russian Valeria Solovieva, the 30^th ranked junior player in the world, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Bouchard ultimately had her impressive run halted by Slovak Jana Cepelova, who defeated the Canadian rising star 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the round of four.

Bouchard now heads to Brazil to compete in the prestigious Grade 1 Banana Bowl beginning this week. She not only enters the event brimming with confidence, but also with a new career-high ranking of no. 116 in tow.