Rublev and Xu lead nominations for 2015 ITF Junior Masters

London, Jan 19, 2015: The 2014 ITF Boys World Champion Andrey Rublev (RUS) and Youth Olympic Games gold medallist Xu Shilin (CHN) head the nominations for the inaugural ITF Junior Masters taking place on 3-5 April 2015 in Chengdu, China.

In the men’s event, Rublev is joined by world No. 2 and Grade A Campeonato Internacional Juvenil de Porto Alegre champion Orlando Luz (BRA) as well Michael Mmoh (USA), a member of the victorious USA team in the 2014 Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas. Former Junior Davis Cup winner, Jaume Munar (ESP) will also compete, along with Youth Olympic Games doubles gold medallist Marcelo Zormann (BRA) and Grade A Osaka Mayor’s Cup winner Taylor Fritz (USA).

In the women’s event, Xu will face Wimbledon junior champion Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) as well as Youth Olympic Games doubles gold medallist Iryna Shymanovich (BLR) and mixed doubles gold medallist Jil Teichmann (SUI).

The 2015 ITF Junior Masters will feature eight male and eight female players nominated on the basis of 18-and-under ITF Junior World Ranking at the end of 2014. The event will consist of two knock-out singles events, with each player guaranteed three matches to determine their final finishing position.

The ITF is also pleased to announce that over 25 member nations have committed to donate professional wild cards to the participants of the inaugural 2015 ITF Junior Masters. To date, member nations have donated wild cards in professional tournaments up to Challenger level. In the order of their final finishing positions, players will have the opportunity to select wild cards for use in 2015 and 2016.

Following the announcement of a travel grant fund of $160,000 for the players, the provision of professional wild cards is yet another way in which the ITF Junior Masters will assist these top juniors in making a transition from junior tennis to the professional game.

The Sichuan International Tennis Centre, which was built in 2008 and consists of 32 courts, has already hosted a number of international events. The ITF Junior Masters will be staged on two match courts, including a 6,000-capacity stadium court, with matches broadcast by Sichuan TV and streamed live over the three days.

The ITF Junior Masters joins the ITF junior team competitions, the 14-and-under ITF World Junior Tennis competition, and 16-and-under Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, as the premier junior events on the 2015 ITF calendar.

2015 ITF JUNIOR MASTERS
Venue: Sichuan International Tennis Centre, Chengdu, China (hard – outdoors)
Dates: 3-5 April

Men’s Singles
Andrey Rublev (RUS)
Orlando Luz (BRA)
Jaume Munar (ESP)
Taylor Fritz (USA)
Chung Yunseong (KOR)
Michael Mmoh (USA)
Duck Hee Lee (KOR)
Marcelo Zormann (BRA)

Women’s Singles
Xu Shilin (CHN)
Iryna Shymanovich (BLR)
Jil Teichmann (SUI)
Kristina Schmiedlova (SVK)
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov (ESP)
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE)
Elena Gabriela Ruse (ROU). —- ITF