Elaine Genovese, Malta’s top tennis girl, played really well yesterday in the girls’ singles event of the ITF U/18 Galbani world ranking tournament at the Marsa Sports Club.

She beat fancied Jennifer Ren from Great Britain 6-1, 6-2. Ren is a highly rated junior in the UK which she represents in the Junior national team.

Her usual steady defensive stance was continuously penetrated by Elaine’s powerful forehands.

National coach Rob Tarpey was as elated as Elaine who said that she was very positive and hit 20 outright winning shots.

Her next opponent in the quarter-finals, today at about 10.30am, is none other that the number one seed of the tournament, Amandine Hesse from France (internationally ranked 278).

The latter has advanced on the strength of a 6-1, 6-2 win over Elizabeth Ullathorne from Great Britain and a 6-2, 6-2 against Maria Voscekova from Slovakia.

A very interesting girls’ match was the three-hour tussle between Diana Marcu of Romania who overcame Sofie Oyen of Belgium 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.

A significant achievement in the boys’ event was the emphatic 6-2, 6-2 win of Filip Svennson of Sweden who beat second seed Jannis Liniger of Switzerland.

The men’s event is in the last 16 stage while the ladies’ has reached the quarter-finals. Besides Galbani, the tournament is sponsored by Gasan Mamo, San Michel and Wilson.