By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday December 13, 2020
Ashlyn Krueger claimed the Orange Bowl 18s title on Sunday, matching a feat accomplished by Bianca Andreescu five years ago.
Photo Source: Joe Guzy / USTA
American Ashlyn Krueger repeated her dominance at the Orange Bowl in Plantation, Florida and achieved a feat that had last been accomplished by Canadian Star Bianca Andreescu.
The American claimed the 18s title at the Orange Bowl with a 6-4 6-4 victory over No.7 seeded Jana Kolodynska, just a year after she had won the 16s title in 2019. Not since 2014 and 2015 had the feat been achieved.
The 6’1” American says she’s pleased with her development over the past year, particularly in the mental toughness department.
“I’ve improved a lot, especially in that area, fighting and mentality, staying more positive, because last year I did get way more upset than I did this year,” she said on Sunday after defeating Kolodynska in the final. “For me it is really about staying positive, because when I get negative I don’t play well.”
It was a strong performance from Krueger, who only dropped one set in the tournament. She finishes her season at 16-2 and hopes to see her first junior Grand Slam action in 2021.
“I would love to play a junior Slam, that’s been a goal of mine for a really long time – any event, I’m not picky – and just playing more, playing more tournaments,” she said.
Arthur Fils Wins Boys 18
France’s Arthur Fils claimed the 18s title on Sunday, defeating Hungary’s d Peter Fajta of Hungary 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. It was a solid performance from the unseeded player, who won two matches in the Roland-Garros junior draw in October.
“At Roland-Garros I took a lot of confidence," he said. "I knew I was playing good, but I didn’t have any results [yet].”
Fils is the first French player to claim the 18s title at the Orange Bowl since Hugo Gaston in 2017. John McEnroe (1976), Jim Courier (1987), Roger Federer (1998), Andy Roddick (1999) and Dominic Thiem (2011) are other former champions at Orange Bowl 18s.
On the women’s side, Chris Evert (1969-70), Gabriela Sabatini (1984), Elena Dementieva (1999), Caroline Wozniacki (2005), Sofia Kenin (2014) and Coco Gauff (2018) are former champions.