Les Petite As is the premier 14 and under tennis event in the world. This year American CiCi Bellis won the tournament – read more – HERE. Last year the boys event was won by American Francis Tiafoe – he won both the singles and doubles. Although great results in the juniors does not guarantee a good professional career, many good players have been in the finals of Les Petite As in the past including winners:
- Richard Krajicek – 1996 Wimbledon winner and former #4 player ;
- Michael Chang, the youngest player ever to win a Grand Slam tournament when he won the 1989 French Open at age 17. Chang made it to #2 in the world;
- Juan-Carlos Ferrerro who became #1 in the world in 2003 when he won the French Open and was a finalist at the U.S. Open;
- Olivier Rochus who became #24 in the world and won the 2004 French Open doubles with partner Xavier Malisse
- Paul-Henri Matthieu – Current world #54 who was ranked as high as 12th in the world;
- Donald Young – Young was the youngest male to win a Grand Slam event, winning the Australian Open Junior Championships in 2005. A record he held until the Australian Open in 2008, when Bernard Tomic won the event 2 months younger than Young. In 2005, he became the youngest year-end World No. 1 in junior rankings at 16 years, 5 months (one month younger than Richard Gasquet in 2002). Young won the Australian Open junior title at age 15 to become youngest-ever and first African-American man to be ranked No. 1 in the world. Young is currently ranked 190th but last February he got up to a career high of 38th.;
- Rafa – “The King of Clay”. Owner of 11 Grand Slam Titles – tied for 4th on the all time list. He is also 7th for number of weeks at #1 and the year end #1 for 2008 and 2010.
Here are some Les Petite As Finalists:
- Noah Rubin – currently 16th in the world in the juniors;
- Christian Harrison, younger brother and doubles partner of Ryan harrison. They are currently 173rd in the world and Christian is only 18;
- Andy Murray – the interesting thing about his loss in the finals is that he beat Novak Djokovic 6-1, 6-0? in the tournament. Their rivalry goes back a long way;
- Brian Baker p currently world #62 who got his ranking up to #52;
- Mario Ancic who later became the #7 player in the world;
- Magnus Norman – 2000 French Open Champion who reached a career high of #2 in the World.
Here are the Women’s winners:
- Timea Bacsinszky who made it to #37 in the world – currently 181st;
- Ksenia Pervak who also made it to #37 in the world and is now 72nd;
- Dinara Safina who made it to #1 in the world. She also made it to 3 Grand Slam finals and 2 semi finals. She is the sister of Marin Safin;
- Bethaney Mattek-Sands who won the Australian Open Mixed Doubles last year with partner Horia Tecau;
- Lina Krasnoroutskaya who reached a career high 25 in singles in 2004 and 22nd in doubles (she made it to the semi finals at Wimbledon);
- Kim Clijsters – a 3 time U.S. Open winner who made it to #1 in the world. Clijsters has a 523-127 career winning record. She also was ranked #1 in doubles;
- Mirjana Lucic who is ranked 96th in the world, having been as high as 32nd;
- Anna Kournikova who was ranked #8 in the world in singles and #1 in the world in doubles. She never got her first career title in singles but was a 16 time winner in doubles;
- Martina Hingis – 5 time Grand Slam winner in singles and a 9 time Grand Slam doubles winner. She was #1 in the world in singles and in doubles. She also has a Grand Slam mixed doubles title to her name;
- Anke Huber reached a career high #4 in the world on October 14, 1996.
Lastly, the Women’s Finalists:
- Lindsay Davenport just appeared on CSI with Chris Evert and Justim Gimelstob. Lindsay was the #1 player in the world in singles and in doubles. She has 3 Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic singles title. Her 38 doubles titles include 3 Grand Slam titles and she had 6 other Grand Slam appearances in the finals. She is 4th n the all time women’s career prize money list;
- Justine Henin is another former #1 player. With 7 Grand Slam wins and 2 other appearances in the finals she has to be considered one of the all time best;
- Elena Bovina – formerly #14 in the world in both singles and doubles. She also won the Australian Open mixed doubles in 2004 with partner Nenad Zimonjic;
- Alisa Kleybanova – formerly 20th in the World;
- Jarmila Gadjdosova who just won the mixed doubles at the Australian Open and was once ranked 25th in the world in singles;
- Elena Bovina was ranked as high as 14th in the world;
- Rita Kuti-Kis of Hungary who reached 47th in the world;
- Dally Randriantefi who reached 44th;
- Alexia Dechaume-Balleret who reached a career high 46th in singles and 22nd in doubles.
Rafael Nadal Vs. Richard Gasquet at Les Petite As – both were 13 at the time.
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