Korea’s Kang, Canadian Liang win boys, girls junior tennis titles

MANILA, Philippines  – South Korea’s Ku Keon Kang is nothing less than an opportunist.

Coming off an upset win over Australian top seed Harry Bourcher in the semifinals last Saturday, Kang made the most of his finals appearance on Sunday in taming power-hitting Briton Rhett Purcell 6-3, 6-4 to cop the boys singles crown of the 25^th International Junior Tennis Championships.

Kang, seeded fourth, displayed consistency and crisp passing shots in dismantling Purcell on the way to his first major championship after one hour and 25 minutes of action at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center center court.    

Earlier, Canadian Gloria Liang, seeded 14^th, ended her memorable debut in the event in pulling off a shock 6-2, 7-5 triumph over Aussie No. 3 seed Kimberly Birrell in annexing the girls’ title.   

Although no prize money was given in the Grade 1 tourney sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation, both Kang and Liang earned 150 points each while Purcell an Birell garnered 100 points apiece as  runners-up in their respective divisions.

“He (Purcell) had a strong serve and forehand but I managed to beat him at the baseline,” said Kang, 17, ranked No. 39 in the ITF junior rankings and who reached the second round of the junior competition of the 2013 French Open.

“I guess I was bit tired after two playing one singles and two double matches last Saturday,” said Purcell, 17, on how he lost steam in the second set, but refused to go down without a fight.

Serving from behind at 15-40 in the critical 10^th game of the second set, the towering 6-foot-3 English teener fought back to force five deuces before finally surrendering the match as he hit a backhand long.

Purcell had a grueling time the previous day, which, however, ended on a bright note in teaming up with New Zealand’s Alexander Klintcharov to bag the boys doubles plum by downing the Taiwanese pair of Lin Wei-De and Yang Shao-Chi 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.   

“I was able to move her (Birrell) around the baseline,” said Liang, 14, of Missiaga, Ontario, of the way she toppled Birrell, who stunned knocked out English top seed Katie Boulter 2-6, 6-2. 7-6 (7-3) in the semis last Saturday.

Boulter salvaged the girls doubles championship, partnering with compatriot Christie Freya to whip the duo of Japan’s Natsuho Arakawa and Australia’s Lizette Cabrera 7-6 (6-4), 6-2.

Both boys and girls doubles champions each earned 100 points while the runners-up were awarded 75 points each. – Rappler.com