sign in sign up
<<
Home , 2015 French Open, 2015 Rio Open, 2015 US Open (tennis), Jessica Pegula, Lauren Embree, Maria Sanchez

TOURNAMENT NOTES

as of March 16, 2016

ASC WOMEN’S OPEN NAPLES, FL • MARCH 20-27

USTA PRO CIRCUIT WOMEN’S RETURNS TO NAPLES TOURNAMENT INFORMATION FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2002 The ASC Women’s Open brings USTA Pro Site: Academia Sanchez-Casal Circuit women’s tennis to Naples for the Naples, Fla. first time since 2002, when the city hosted Websites: www.asc-florida.com a $50,000 women’s event. It also hosted a procircuit.usta.com $50,000 women’s event in 2000, as well as a $50,000 men’s Challenger from 1992 Staples USTA/Peter Facebook: Academia Sanchez-Casal, Florida to 1994. Twitter: @ASCFlorida This is the first of three consecutive Qualifying Draw Begins: Sunday, March 20 $25,000 USTA Pro Circuit clay-court Main Draw Begins: Tuesday, March 22 women’s events held over the next four weeks, preceding Jackson, Miss., and Main Draw: 32 Singles / 16 Doubles Pelham, Ala. Surface: Clay / Outdoor To follow the tournament, download the USTA Prize Money: $25,000 Pro Circuit’s new phone app for smartphones Tournament Director: and tablets by searching “procircuit” in the Lucas Regas, (239) 263-1818 Apple and Google Play stores. [email protected] Notable players competing in Naples include: Tournament Coordinator: qualified for the 2015 US Open, Rogelio De Haro, (239) 537-7245 Jessica Pegula, the top-ranked American winning her first-round match in her first-ever [email protected] competing in Naples. Pegula played in main draw. just one tournament in 2014 after having Tournament Press Contact: knee surgery, but she is on the comeback Kathy Prutos, (239) 572-3783 trail after qualifying for the 2015 US Open at the $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in [email protected] and winning her first-round match in her Maui and competed in the USTA Communications Contact: first-ever Grand Slam main draw. Also qualifying tournament. Pegula broke out in 2013, qualifying for and reaching the Amanda Korba, (914) 697-2219 in 2015, Pegula qualified for the WTA third round of the WTA event in Charleston. [email protected] event in Charleston, S.C., and reached the quarterfinals at two $50,000 USTA She also qualified for the WTA events in Pro Circuit events, in Dothan, Ala., and Shenzhen, China, and Washington, D.C., PRIZE MONEY / POINTS Kirkland, Wash. She also reached the final climbing to a career-best No. 123 in the world that year. Pegula has enjoyed even SINGLES: Prize Money Ranking Points round of qualifying at Wimbledon and greater success in doubles, competing in the Winner $3,919 50 the in 2015. This year, she US Open doubles main draw in 2011, 2012 Runner-Up $2,091 30 reached the singles and doubles semifinals and 2015 and peaking at No. 92 in the Semifinalist $1,144 18 world in the doubles rankings in February Quarterfinalist $654 9 2013. Pegula’s father, Terry, is the owner Round 16 $392 5 of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and the NFL’s Round 32 $228 1 Buffalo Bills.

DOUBLES: Prize Money (per team) Staples USTA/Peter Winner $1,437 , who made her Australian Runner-Up $719 Open qualifying debut in January and Semifinalist $359 who, earlier this month, captured her Quarterfinalist $196 seventh USTA Pro Circuit singles title at Round 16 $131

Up-and-comer Katerina Stewart had a strong season on the USTA Pro Circuit in 2015, winning three singles titles.

*Player field subject to change TOURNAMENT NOTES the $10,000 event in Weston, Fla.; she also won the doubles title the second round of the WTA’s and competing in Indian in Weston. Stewart had a strong season on the USTA Pro Circuit Wells. In 2014, Min reached the semifinals of the WTA event in in 2015, winning three singles titles and going 13-2 in the spring Bad Gastein, —her first-ever WTA semifinal—and competed in a string of $50,000 clay-court events, where she won in Indian in the US Open and French Open main draws, qualifying at Roland Harbour Beach, Fla., and reached finals in Charlottesville, Va., Garros. She was one of the top juniors in the world in 2011, when and Savannah, Ga. Stewart peaked at a career-high No. 158 in the she won the US Open girls’ singles title and the Wimbledon girls’ world in July of last year. In 2014, she won the USTA Girls’ 18s doubles title. Those results helped propel her to No. 4 in the world National Championships in Memphis, Tenn. That capped junior rankings. In 2013, she qualified for the French Open—her a 34-match winning streak in junior and pro matches, during which first main-draw Grand Slam appearance outside the U.S.—as well as she won three USTA Pro Circuit $10,000 clay-court events (Orlando, the US Open. She holds six USTA Pro Circuit singles titles overall, Fla.; Bethany Beach, Del.; and Charlotte, N.C.). Stewart was including the $25,000 event in Florence, S.C., in October 2015. awarded a into qualifying at the 2014 US Open and won Earlier this year, Min advanced to the semifinals of the $25,000 her first-round qualifying match over Yuliya Beygelizimer, a former USTA Pro Circuit event in Daytona Beach, Fla. Top 100 player. Stewart also played in the doubles main draw at the 2014 US Open with , falling in the first round. An , who has played in just a few USTA Pro Circuit accomplished player on all surfaces, Stewart also was the USTA Girls’ tournaments since October 2014 after undergoing a heart 16s national hard court champion in 2013. Her mother, Marina, was procedure. Most recently, she reached the quarterfinals of the an Argentine WTA pro. She is coached by her father, Cesar. $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Stockton, Calif., last July, and advanced to the final round of qualifying for the 2015 US Open. , who peaked at No. 107 in the world in July 2013 Oudin burst onto the tennis scene in 2009, defeating former world behind strong results on the USTA Pro Circuit and the WTA tour. No. 1 Jelena Jankovic to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon Also in 2013, Sanchez made her debut in a Grand Slam main draw and beating five-time Grand Slam champion en by earning a wild card into the US Open. In 2014, she won her first route to the US Open quarterfinals. Oudin peaked at No. 31 in the WTA doubles title, in Auckland, New Zealand, with . world in singles in April 2010, but she struggled with injuries and Sanchez is ranked a career-high No. 69 in doubles after reaching inconsistency in the year that followed. She started a comeback in the doubles final at the WTA event in Monterrey, Mexico, earlier 2012, capturing her first career WTA title at the Wimbledon tune-up this month. For her career, Sanchez has won two USTA Pro Circuit event in Birmingham, England. She then competed at Wimbledon singles titles, both in 2012, and 15 USTA Pro Circuit/ITF Circuit as a wild card. Oudin also earned a wild card into the 2012 French doubles titles, including five in 2015 alone. As a junior player, she Open based on her results on the USTA Pro Circuit, which included was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. as a 16-year-old and No. 4 in the a title at the event in Charlottesville, Va. (She advanced to the country as an 18-year-old. She also was the No. 1-ranked collegian second round at Roland Garros that year.) In addition to her success and an ITA All-American at the University of Southern California, in singles, Oudin notched one of the biggest victories of her career winning the 2011 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate at the 2011 US Open, claiming the mixed doubles title with fellow Championship singles title. American . She has also been a consistent performer for the U.S. Fed Cup team in the past. Oudin announced in November Kayla Day, 16, who is the No. 10-ranked junior in the world. Day 2013 that she was suffering from rhabdomyolysis, a muscle- helped the U.S. to a runner-up finish at the 16-and-under Junior damaging condition, and took time off to deal with it. She resumed Fed Cup finals in Barcelona last September, winning all four of her competition in March 2014 and competed on the USTA Pro Circuit singles matches. She also won two prestigious ITF junior events and in qualifying for the US Open, French Open and Wimbledon. last year, in Mexico and Tulsa, Okla., and has also competed in the She was then sidelined again by the heart procedure. junior US Open and Wimbledon. Day was the 2013 USTA Girls’ 14s national champion and the 2014 USTA Girls’ 16s national , who completed her sophomore year at the University of runner-up. This year on the USTA Pro Circuit, she advanced to the North Carolina in 2015, winning the NCAA Division I singles title quarterfinals at the $25,000 events in Wesley Chapel, Fla., and to become the first singles national champion in North Carolina Surprise, Ariz. women’s tennis history. Loeb was also the top-ranked college tennis player for most of her freshman year (2013-14). As a freshman, she Notable players competing in qualifying include: was named the 2014 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year as well as the 2014 ACC Women’s Nicole Vaidisova, of the Czech Republic, the former world No. 7 who Tennis Player of the Year—making her the third North Carolina retired from pro tennis in 2010 before launching her comeback on player ever to earn that distinction. In 2014, Loeb won the inaugural the USTA Pro Circuit in fall 2014. In just her second tournament American College Invitational at the US Open. She also earned a back, Vaidisova reached the quarterfinals of the $50,000 USTA wild card into the 2015 US Open, where she lost to reigning finalist Pro Circuit event in Las Vegas. She followed that up by reaching in the first round. Loeb, who turned pro following the semifinals at the $100,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Midland, his sophomore season at UNC, was also a standout junior player, Mich., in 2015, and last summer she reached the quarters at two reaching the quarterfinals at the Wimbledon girls’ event in 2013 ITF Pro Circuit events in Europe. During her career, Vaidisova has and the junior singles final at the 2013 USTA International Spring won six WTA singles titles and reached the semifinals at the 2007 Championships in Carson, Calif.; she also won the doubles title in Australian Open and the 2006 French Open, upsetting No. 1 seed Carson. Loeb holds five USTA Pro Circuit singles titles, including the Amelie Mauresmo in the fourth round and in the $25,000 event in Surprise, Ariz., earlier this year, and five doubles quarterfinals at Roland Garros. Vaidisova has also represented the titles. She trains at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in Randall’s Czech Republic in Fed Cup. Island, N.Y.

Grace Min, the former US Open junior champion who peaked at , 17, who won her first USTA Pro Circuit singles title at a career-high No. 97 in the world in March 2015 after reaching the $25,000 event in Wesley Chapel, Fla., in January. As a junior *Player field subject to change TOURNAMENT NOTES player, Kenin reached the singles final at the 2015 US Open Junior after also winning a title in Wichita, Kan., in 2008. Last year, she Championships. She also won the 2015 USTA Girls’ 18s national captured her third and fourth USTA Pro Circuit/ITF Circuit doubles title to earn a wild-card berth into the US Open women’s singles titles in Australia. In 2009, Embree won a USTA wild-card playoff to draw for her first Grand Slam main draw. Kenin, who goes by Sonya, earn a berth into the main draw of the French Open, where she lost is the No. 6-ranked junior in the world and represented the U.S. at in the opening round to former world No. 3 . the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China. Sanaz Marand, who played collegiately for the University of North Lauren Embree, the former collegiate standout at the University of Carolina, where she received All-America honors and, in 2010, Florida. Embree completed her outstanding college career in 2013 helped lead the Tar Heels to their first NCAA team semifinals. In by being named the National College Player of the Year. She went 2013, Marand won her first USTA Pro Circuit singles title at the 26-3 in her final year for the Gators at the No. 1 singles spot, and $25,000 event in El Paso, Texas. She has also won 10 career USTA she compiled a staggering 117-16 singles record during her four Pro Circuit doubles titles, including three tournaments in 2015. As years in Gainesville. As a pro in 2013, she won her second USTA a junior player, Marand reached the doubles final at the 2006 Easter Pro Circuit singles title at the $10,000 event in Fort Worth, Texas, Bowl with fellow American Ashley Weinhold.

*Player field subject to change

NAPLES PAST WINNERS Singles Doubles Year Winner Runner-up Year Winner 2002 Vera Zvonareva Maureen Drake 2002 Rika Hiraki (JPN) – Nana Miyagi (JPN) 2001 Event not held 2001 Event not held 2000 Yvette Basting (NED) Catalina Castano (COL) 2000 Nana Miyagi (JPN) – Elena Tatarkova (UKR) TOURNAMENT NOTES

USTA PRO CIRCUIT YOUTH TENNIS

With approximately 90 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging The USTA is making it easier and more fun for kids to get into from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition the game—and stay in the game. Kids are learning to play for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. The USTA launched faster than ever before through the USTA’s youth initiative, its Pro Circuit in 1979 to provide players with the opportunity to gain professional ranking points, and it has since grown to become the largest developmental tennis circuit in the world, offering nearly which is geared toward getting more kids to participate in $3 million in prize money. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries tennis using modified equipment and courts tailored to a competed in cities nationwide. , Maria Sharapova, , Caroline Woznaicki, Kei child’s size. For more information, visit YouthTennis.com. Nishikori, and are among today’s top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit. USTA FOUNDATION More recently, the USTA Pro Circuit was a pathway to success for two young USTA Foundation, the national charitable organization of Americans in 2015— the USTA, helps serve up dreams for under-resourced youth; and . Crawford, the 2012 US individuals with disabilities; and wounded, ill and injured Open girls’ singles champion, started the service members, veterans and their families. The foundation 2015 season ranked No. 293 and competed Photography Vomund supports programs nationwide that leverage tennis and in 23 USTA Pro Circuit events throughout education to help those in need, primarily through the National the year. She went on to win the first USTA & Learning (NJTL) network, and other efforts Pro Circuit singles title of her career at the to assist military personnel, veterans and individuals with $50,000 event in Scottsdale, Ariz., and also disabilities. To date, it has awarded more than $19 million in won two of the USTA Pro Circuit’s wild card grants and scholarships to hundreds of programs, benefitting challenges to earn wild cards into the 2015 thousands of children and adults through a tennis, education US Open and ; the wild and health curricula. For more information, visit the website card challenges were based upon results on www.ustafoundation.com. the USTA Pro Circuit. Crawford’s hard work paid off, and in January 2016, she rose to No. 107 in the world after a strong start to the year in Australia, where she reached her Samantha Crawford US OPEN NATIONAL PLAYOFFS first WTA semifinal in Brisbane as a qualifier. The USTA launched the Tiafoe, a former world No. 2 junior who turned pro early in 2015, started last season US Open National Playoffs in ranked No. 1,143. His successes on the USTA Pro Circuit not only allowed Tiafoe to finish the year ranked 2010, making the US Open No. 176, but also gave him experience on the Grand Slam stage. Tiafoe won the Har-Tru USTA Pro Circuit “open” to anyone age 14+ and Wild Card Challenge to earn a spot in the , which marked his Grand Slam debut. He of all skill levels. Last year, more also won his first USTA Pro Circuit singles title in 2015 at the $15,000 Futures in Bakersfield, Calif., and than 1,450 players competed reached three additional finals. Tiafoe also competed in the 2015 US Open as a wild card and continues in 13 Sectional Qualifying to climb in the rankings. Tournaments nationwide for a 2015 US Open Qualifying USTA PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Tournament wild card. A men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles element also was held, with the winning team The USTA Player Development program, working with the American Tennis Family of players, coaches earning a US Open main draw doubles wild card. Registration for and families, helps to identify and develop the next generation of American champions by surrounding all 2016 sectional events opens on March 15, with tournaments top junior players and young pros with the resources, facilities and coaching they need to reach their taking place in May and June. The US Open National Playoffs will maximum potential. The Player Development program is based at the USTA Training Center Headquarters take place in New Haven in August. For more information and the in Boca Raton, Fla., and utilizes National Training Centers in Carson, Calif., and Flushing, N.Y., as well as schedule, and to vie for a chance to compete in the US Open, visit a network of Certified Regional Training Centers located throughout the . www.usopen.org/NationalPlayoffs.