The Bermuda ITF Junior Open featuring promising juniors from several countries and continents is down to the semi-final stage at the WER Joell Stadium yesterday.

Among the grade five boys, Spencer Brachman, of the United States, continues on course for the final to justify his No 1 seed after a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Britain’s Charlie Penman. He will today face Christopher Heck, of Canada, the third-seeded male, who beat American William Kasten 6-2, 6-0.

In the lower bracket Britain’s Matthew Doe produced a major upset as he downed four seed Juan Jose Vega Lebrija, of Mexico, in an exciting and tough two set match 7-6, 6-3, while other things went according to form in the final quarter-final match, as No 2 Jeffrey Fradkin won over Sebastien Collard of Canada 6-1, 6-4.

Meanwhile in the grade five girls, No 1 Nicole Kiefer, of the US, defeated compatriot Aleia De Buretel 6-0, 6-1, while Petra Miszczak, the No 4 got past No 6 seeded Sophie Wagemaker 6-1, 6-4. In the other half of the draw the Netherlands’ Shirley Liang beat Rola Abouzeina of Egypt 6-3, 6-0 to set up a semi-final meeting with Rebecca Lynn, of the US, after besting Maya Rukosuev, also of the US.

In boys grade 5 doubles, Brachman teamed with Fradkin to advance 6-4, 6-1 to the semi-finals to face Christopher Heck and Ellis Short, who won their match 6-2, 6-1, while the lower bracket will feature Sebastien Collard and William Kasten, 6-3, 6-4 quarter-final winners, against Doe and Bermuda’s Richard Mallory, who advanced with a 6-1, 4-6, 10-7 tie-break deciding win.

On the girls’ grade five side in the doubles Kiefer and Shirley Liang advanced 6-0, 6-1, along with the teams of Carla Cabero Del Hierro and Olivia Lincer, 6-4, 6-3 winners, Lynn and Rukosuev, 7-5, 6-3 winners, Kyra Foster and Petra Miszcak, 6-2, 6-2 straight set victors.