Tennis

Anna Kournikova, the 13-year-old Russian tennis prodigy, lost her bid to become the youngest Orange Bowl International 18s champion since Andrea Jaeger won in 1978 at age 13.

Marian Ramon, from Valencia, Spain, negated Kournikova’s defensive “moonball” style with penetrating topspin groundstrokes and was able to transform a 2-5 first-set deficit into a 7-5, 6-4 victory at Miami Beach, Fla.

“It definitely helped, her being only 13,” said Ramon, whose win also earned her a wild card into the Lipton Championships held on Key Biscayne in March. “The power isn’t the same, even though she may have a lot of experience for her age.”

Kournikova, a protege of Nick Bollettieri, has had professional representation since she was nine.

After the loss, she threw one final glance at her mother, and rushed off the court, denying all interviews.

Ramon, 18, is the second Spaniard to win the 18s in two years and the third in the last six years. Angeles Montolio won it last year and Pilar Perez in 1990.

Nicolas Lapentti, drawing on his Davis Cup experience, ended his junior tennis career by defeating doubles partner Gustavo Kuerten 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) for the boys’ title.

“There’s not much pressure in this tournament after I played Davis Cup with Andres Gomez, our country hero, at home,” Lapentti said. “It was a great experience.”