Player Watch

Michelle Larcher de Brito , put that name in your diary. In the Bank of the West Classic last week she lead Serena Williams 6-4 and 2-0 in the second set before Williams rallyed to win the last two sets 6-3 6-2.De Brito is 15 and native of Portugal, she is another junior whose family, moved to the United States to attend the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida when she was 9 years old.She was coached by Nick Bollettieri till the end of 2007. Currently she is training full time with her father.

Michelle played in the ITF Junior circuit from August, 2006 to December, 2007, managing to win three singles tournaments. In Grand-Slam tournaments, she made it to the singles quarterfinals of the 2007 French Open and the doubles quarterfinals of the 2007 Wimbledon Championships. She won her last tournament, the 2007 Orange Bowl, becoming, at 14 years, 10 months and 11 days, the second youngest champion of the event's history after Nicole Vaidišová. She was also the youngest player ever to win the U-16 Eddie Herr Championship (in 2005 when she was 12).