A Plum teenager today reached the finals of the boys' event at the French Open.
Bjorn Fratangelo, 17, who trains in Naples, Fla., where his father is a teaching pro, beat Tristan Lamasine, 18, of France, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to make the final.
The other semifinal was in progress.
It's unusual for American players to do well on clay, the French Open surface, but Bjorn has been training on it in Florida while attending Barron Collier High School. If he wins the final, he will be the first American junior French Open champion since John McEnroe.
Named for famed Swedish champion Bjorn Borg, Bjorn grew up in Plum and moved to Florida three years ago to train against better competition. The family still maintains their home in Plum.
First Published: June 3, 2011, 3:30 p.m.
