Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Sanchez advances in French qualifying; Bellis ousted

   Veteran Maria Sanchez from Modesto won today in the first round of French Open qualifying, but 16-year-old sensation CiCi Bellis of Atherton fell in her women's debut at Roland Garros.  
   Sanchez, a 25-year-old USC graduate, dominated Risa Ozaki of Japan 6-1, 6-1. Bellis lost to Veronica Cepede Royg of Paraguay 6-4, 6-0.
   Overall, American women went 5-3. Also winning were Jessica Pegula, whose billionaire father owns the NFL's Buffalo Bills and NHL's Buffalo Sabres; Alexa Glatch; Grace Min; and Anna Tatishvili. Joining Bellis on the sideline were Sachia Vickery and 17-year-old Katerina Stewart.
   Sanchez is scheduled to face third-seeded Sesil Karatantcheva of Bulgaria on Thursday. Karatantcheva, who eliminated countrywoman Elitsa Kostova 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, reached the French Open quarterfinals 10 years ago at age 15. Later in 2005, she was suspended for two years after testing positive twice for nandrolone.
   Only two U.S. men, 18-year-old Jared Donaldson and Bjorn Fratangelo, remain alive as they head into their second-round matches on Thursday. Jason Jung lost to 18th-seeded Marco Cecchinato of Italy 7-5, 6-1 in the second round. 
   In 2011, Fratangelo joined John McEnroe (1977) as the only Americans in the Open era to win the French Open junior boys title.
   Bellis reached last year's junior girls doubles final at Roland Garros with Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic. They lost to Romanians Ioana Ducu and Ioana Rosca 6-1, 5-7 [11-9]. 

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