Orange Bowl wraps up with some impressive wins
Dec 16, 2024
The Orange Bowl wrapped up yesterday at Veltri Racquet Center with some exciting matches. The crowds filed in for a 10am start time and the weather behaved. That said, the wind was swirling and clouds were gathering as action commenced.
The Orange Bowl is seen as a "rite of passage" for future stars. And the list of past winners reads like a who's who in pro tennis. On the men's side, names like Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, John McEnroe, and Bjorn Borg appear in the history books. On the women's side, it's no less impressive — Coco Gauff, Mary Joe Fernandez, Gabriela Sabatini and Chris Evert have all took home the Orange Bowl title on the final day of the tournament.
So what happened yesterday at the much-anticipated 18s finals?
The women's final was a thrilling three-setter with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Tereza Krejcova (CZE) defeated Elizara Yaneva (BUL) in a tight final of the girls 18s, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6.
Above: Tereza Krejcova and Elizara Yaneva. Photo: Florida Tennis.
Meanwhile, on the opposing court, Andres Santamarta Roig (ESP) defeated Moise Kouame (FRA) in a commanding win 7-5, 6-2 win despite some hiccups in the first set. Solid ball-striking was accompanied by touch and finesse on both sides of the net. Both players have an extremely bright future ahead of them.
Above: Andres Santamarta Roig and Moise Kouame. Photo: Florida Tennis.
Nevertheless, the matches were marred by strong winds and light showers which briefly stopped play. However, all players got into the groove as their respective matches progressed — the Orange Bowl 18s finals proved to be an impressive display of high-level tennis.
Want an inside look at what happened? Check out Florida Tennis' exclusive footage from the event below. And be sure to follow us on Instagram for exclusive interviews and more video highlights from the Orange Bowl as well.
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Written by Matt Pressman Editor and Publisher of Florida Tennis.