Bright hopes for Swiss tennis as Bern boy wins Paris prize

Eighteen-year-old Dominic Stricker from Bern has won the boys’ singles title at the French Open tennis tournament in an all-Swiss final in Paris. Attacking lefthander Stricker beat his compatriot Leandro Riedi in two sets (6-4 6-2) at Roland Garros on Saturday. Riedi, who won the boys’ doubles title in Australia this year, was the favourite, but Stricker clinched his first win against his friend in nine matches. He is the first Swiss to win the boys’ singles title in Paris since Stan Wawrinka in 2003, and described his victory as “unbelievable”. He also won the boys' doubles title. With Roger Federer, 39, absent and Wawrinka, 35, falling in the third round of the men’s tournament, this will no doubt raise the spirits of Swiss tennis fans on a damp autumn weekend. Previous winners of the Roland Garros junior titles also include Federer, Martina Hingis and Belinda Bencic.