ITF

Oksana Selekhmeteva participating in the calligraphy activity FINALS STEPS ARE OFTEN SAID TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT OF ANY JOURNEY ALTHOUGH DENMARK'S HOLGER VITUS NODSKOV RUNE AND Diane Parry of France were far from burdened by the moment of victory at the 2019 ITF Junior Finals in Chengdu. Not only were trophies and prestige up for grabs as both Rune and Parry approached the competition's decisive hurdle, but also the much-coveted world No.1 spots in the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Rankings presented by IMG Academy. There was much to gain and plenty to lose. Rune, however, was a man on a mission, much like James Bond – the answer the 16-year-old offered when quizzed what he might be were he not a tennis player – and navigated the boys' draw with distinction. Standing between him and silverware were two fellow Junior Grand Slam winners in Jonas Forejtek and Shintaro Mochizuki and, as it transpired, the in-form Harold Mayot and a potentially tournament-ending ankle injury. Rune had dispatched Mayot in the group stages in a hotly-contested encounter but his progression to the Denmark's Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune and Diane Parry of France were all-conquering at October's ITF Junior Finals in Chengdu knockout phase of the competition boiled down to winning a certain number of games during defeat to Forejtek in their final pool match. That he did but only after stoically overcoming a nasty fall in the first set which restricted his movement, although a vigorous workout on the treadmill on the morning of his semi-final clash with Frenchman Valentin Royer hinted that his ankle had recovered sufficiently. But it was Metz-born Mayot who perhaps proceeded to the final with greater gusto. Arriving in Chengdu on the back of victory at JA Osaka, he signalled his intentions on the opening day by overpowering US Open boys' champion Forejtek. He then confirmed a return showdown with Rune by leaving Mochizuki, the conqueror of the boys' draw at Wimbledon and a Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas victor, trailing in his wake in the semi-finals. In the build-up to the finale, Mayot declared that Rune was the toughest opponent he had faced in his fledgling career. That status was justified as the Dane claimed silverware and the No.1 spot in the boys' rankings, although he would be overtaken by the year's end, courtesy of a 7-6(3) 4-6 6-2 victory. As the spotlight focused upon him, Rune insisted his latest triumph was further evidence of his evolving ability to win big matches and deal with pressure moments. "I have won a few finals now; the European Junior Championships at Under-14 level, the boys' title at Roland Garros and now this," Rune told ITFWorld. J U N I O R S TEENAGE kicks Harold Mayot finished runner-up in the boys' draw Diane Parry and Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune pose with their trophies

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