Japanese Junior Kaichi Uchida Pushes On

Written by: Staff on 25th January 2012

Japanese Junior Kaichi Uchida Pushes On |

(Courtesy of Australian Open – Original Link: http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/articles/2012-01-25/201201251327468870029.html )

By: David Packman

Japanese fourth seed, Kaichi Uchida, continued his impressive run Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over France’s Laurent Lokoli in the Australian Open junior boys’ championship at Melbourne Park.

The highly rated Japanese junior now moves into a quarterfinal, emulating the feats of his much-heralded countryman, Kei Nishikori, who today took on Andy Murray in the men’s quarterfinals at Rod Laver Arena.

Aside from junior world No.1 Luke Saville, Uchida is the highest seed remaining in the boys’ event this week, and is on track to meet the local favourite in a semifinal. The two have met previously, with Uchida dumping Saville out of the French Open before the Aussie returned the favour three weeks later at Wimbledon on his way to the title.

In Uchida’s path next is Czech clay court specialist, Adam Pavlasek, who upset fifth seed Frederico Ferreiro Silva earlier Wednesday.

Speaking via his coach, Uchida said he was confident about his ability to keep winning this week. “If I play like today, then yes, I am confident,” he said.

For now, Uchida was hoping to watch his compatriot Nishikori – with whom he had an opportunity to practice with during the Davis Cup in Osaka last year – on the big stage this afternoon.

“Well, we asked Kei for some tickets, so we hope so,” his coach smiled.

In other boys’ results, more seeds were sent tumbling today, with American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald continuing to fly under the radar and easily accounting for local hope, sixth-seeded Australian Andrew Harris, 6-2, 6-3.

On the back of the best win of his junior career to date – and in just his second Grand Slam – McDonald was obviously very happy. “I came out here to put myself on the map, and so far it’s been good,” he said.

Britain’s Josh Ward-Hibbert upset yet another seed in his match. This time it was Serbian ninth seed Nikola Milojevic, who Ward-Hibbert dispatched comfortably 6-3, 6-2, without once dropping serve.

Robin Stanek, who took out third seed Liam Broady yesterday, looked super-impressive again against Fin Herkko Pollanen, the fifteenth seed. Stanek barely broke stride to record a 6-1, 6-2 win.

Tournament favourites Luke Saville and Filip Peliwo, the finalists at the lead-up event to this, both moved through to the quarterfinals. Saville was comprehensive in his 6-2, 6-2 victory over Egypt’s Karim Hossam while Peliwo needed three sets to topple Czech Marek Routa.