Blockx, Korneeva win Australian Open junior titles

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Alexander Blockx of Belgium beat American Learner Tien 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (9) to win the junior boys championship on the Australian Open on Saturday.

“It was certainly one of my hardest battles of my life,” the 17-year-old Blockx stated.

Within the junior ladies singles remaining, ninth-seeded Alina Korneeva beat seventh-seeded Mirra Andreeva 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-5 in a 3-hour, 18-minute baseline duel between the 15-year-old Russian doubles companions.

“It’s not our final battle,” Korneeva stated throughout the trophy displays. “We can have loads of good matches.”

Within the junior ladies doubles remaining, Renata Jamrichova of Slovakia and Federica Urgesi of Italy beat Japan’s Hayu Kinoshita and Sara Saito 7-6 (5), 1-6, 10-7.

Tien paired with fellow American Cooper Williams to beat Blockx and Brazilian Joao Fonseca 6-4, 6-4 within the junior boys doubles remaining on Friday.

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