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The ITF Grade 1 Eddie Herr Championships welcome back two of the top juniors in the ITF World Junior rankings, with 2017 boys champion Adrian Andreev of Bulgaria and 2017 girls finalist Clara Burel of France returning to the Har-Tru courts at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Now both 17, Andreev and Burel were not seeded when they made their runs to the finals last year, but in the 12 months since, they have improved their rankings dramatically.

Clara Burel is Ranked No. 1 in the ITF World Junior Rankings
© Zoo Tennis

Burel, who lost to 2017 ITF World Junior Champion Whitney Osuigwe in the Eddie Herr final, reached the Australian Open girls final just two months later, then added an appearance in the U.S. Open girls final and a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games this fall. Burel took over the top spot in the ITF World Junior rankings late last month after winning the ITF Junior Masters in China, and with plans to close out the year at the Orange Bowl, she is very much in the running to stay there.

Burel will have competition however, with French Open girls champion Coco Gauff, the top-ranked American, also in the field. Gauff, who won a second junior slam title at the age of 14 with the doubles championship at this year’s U.S. Open, is playing her first junior event since then at this week's Grade A in Mexico. Gauff, who lives in Delray Beach and is comfortable on the green clay prevalent in Florida, reached the Eddie Herr 12s final back in 2015.