Kuzuhara, Marcinko win Australian Open junior titles

Top seed Bruno Kuzuhara won the Australian Open junior boys' title on Saturday, while in the girls' singles final, Croatian top seed Petra Marcinko secured her first major title.

Bruno Kuzuhara of United States poses with the champions trophy after winning the Junior Boy’s Singles Final against Jakub Mensik of Czech Republic.

Top seed Bruno Kuzuhara won the Australian Open junior boys' title on Saturday, in an extraordinary conclusion to a marathon match that saw his Czech opponent Jakub Mensik collapse with cramp after match point and taken off the court in a wheelchair.

Mensik won a long rally to make it 30-30 at 5-6 in the third and concluding set, but he was barely able to stand following that exchange and hit two consecutive double faults to hand victory to the American, who prevailed 7-6(4), 6-7(6), 7-5 in just under four hours.

 

"First of all, it's an unfortunate way to win it," said Kuzuhara in an on-court interview. "I'm wishing Jakub a speedy recovery. It was a great fight. We pushed each other right until the end. Great match, if you're watching inside. Thanks, man."

The 17-year-old Kuzuhara walked across the court to check on Mensik after the final point before officials arrived with a wheelchair to escort him off for treatment.

Petra Marcinko of Croatia holds her trophy aloft after defeating Sofia Costoulas of Belgium in the girls' singles final at the Australian Open.

 

In the girls' singles final, Croatian top seed Petra Marcinko secured her first major title with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Belgium's Sofia Costoulas.