Michael Jackson rhythm: Canadian trio moonwalk into SW19 contention
Title-chasing Victoria Mboko, Kayla Cross and Annabelle Xu continued the Canadian charge at the Junior Championships, Wimbledon after scaling the latest obstacles blocking their respective paths.
At the start of the day’s play, Canada had four players bidding to progress from the second round of the girls’ draw, while Jaden Weekes is still very much in contention in the boys’ event and faces No. 3 seed Mili Poljicak tomorrow.
It would have been a sizeable achievement had all four Canadian girls reached the third round – never has the North American nation achieved such a feat at a Junior Grand Slam – although by the end of proceedings only three remained.
With Weekes playing tomorrow, the prospect of four Canadian juniors reaching at least the third round remains, although should that figure stay at three, it retains an historical implication.
The last time three Canadians reached the third round of a Junior Grand Slam was here in 2016, with Bianca Andreescu, Felix Auger-Aliassime and eventual champion Denis Shapovalov progressing. Not a bad trio for the class of 2022 to emulate.
“It is amazing to see how far the likes of Denis, Felix and Bianca have come and it gives us a lot of inspiration,” Cross told itftennis.com. “It wasn’t always before, but Canada is now known as a big tennis country because of players like them.
“Seeing them do it, it gives hope to us, and we always talk about it. We’re desperate to follow in their footsteps.”
Mboko, who is ranked No 17 in the junior world rankings and seeded fifth here, was the first to make her presence felt and barge her way into the third round, where she will face Poland’s Olivia Lincer, by overcoming Great Britain’s Ella McDonald 6-4 3-6 6-0.
The 15-year-old revealed afterwards that her on-court flow and tempo – in only her fifth match on grass after making her debut on the surface at Roehampton last week – were assisted by the great Michael Jackson.
“I listen to a lot of different music, but I mostly listen to music with a lot of rhythm because when I listen to it before I go on court, I hope it gives me rhythm out there,” Mboko told itftennis.com. “The last song I listened to before playing today was Michael Jackson’s Beat It.”
“I feel good on court. I am going to take every match as a new match as anything can happen – I could play great or not so great – and going into the next few rounds I’m taking it slowly, focusing on what I need to work on.
“There is plenty I need to work on from today’s match. It is a work in progress and every round I’m feeling better and better. Honestly, the first match I played here I felt so overwhelmed. I have loved it here but there is a lot I am not used to.
“Now I am finding my feet, I am excited and looking forward to the next round. I want to please my country and represent Canada well.”
After Mia Kupres slipped to defeat against No. 2 seed Celine Naef of Switzerland, next into the third round was Cross, who now faces top seed Liv Hovde of the United States for a place in the quarter-finals.
By overcoming Slovakia’s Irina Balus 6-4 6-3, Cross sealed her finest Grand Slam result. Her previous best was her second-round finish at January’s Australian Open, while this time last year she was licking her wounds after succumbing in the first round. Much has changed.
“In terms of game style, it is pretty much the same as I’ve always tried to be aggressive,” said Cross, who was watched on court today by former world No. 58 Daniel Nestor.
“Fitness-wise, I have got a little stronger so have been able to come to the net. I’ve always loved being at the net but when you’re small it’s hard, but I have grown a lot. I have also become a lot more consistent in tight moments and I fight my way through them.”
It took some time – in fact, it was the final junior match of the day to finish – but No. 10 seed Xu joined the Canadian third-round party by overcoming Great Britain’s Talia Neilson Gatenby 6-4 3-6 6-3. Hungary’s No. 7 seed Luca Udvardy, who defeated Alexis Blokhina, awaits.
“This one means a lot,” Xu, who contested the Junior Championships last year after navigating qualifying only to fall in the first round, told itftennis.com.
“It wasn’t easy today against a British player and the crowd, but I really enjoy these big courts. It’s not often we get to play on them with a lot of people, so I am really happy that I was able to pull through. I am also really glad there are three Canadians in the third round.”
Elsewhere in the girls’ draw, Hovde stormed into the third round with victory over Ukraine’s Anastasiya Lopata, while No. 3 seed Nikola Bartunkova also progressed at the expense of Poland’s Weronika Ewald. Bartunkova now faces Rose Marie Nijkamp of the Netherlands.
There was a significant surprise as Yu-Yun Li of Chinese Taipei held her nerve in a tense third set to outmanoeuvre No. 6 seed Taylah Preston of Australia, while Qavia Lopez of the United States also bowed out at the hands of Japan’s Hayu Kinoshita.
Great Britain has two remaining players in the girls’ draw following victories for Jasmine Conway and Mingge Xu, while Linda Klimovicova also advanced and will now test her credentials against Naef. South Africa’s Isabella Kruger, meanwhile, beat No. 4 seed Nikola Daubnerova.