PREVIEW NOTES: TOP SEED OPEN PRESENTED BY BLUEGRASS ORTHOPAEDICS LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, USA | AUGUST 10-16, 2020 | USD $225,500 INTERNATIONAL WTA Website: www.wtatennis.com | @WTA | facebook.com/wta Tournament Website: www.topseedtennis.net | @TopSeedTennisKY WTA Communications: Chase Altieri ([email protected]) SAP Tennis Analytics for Media is an online portal that provides real-time data and insights to media during every WTA event and across all devices. Please email [email protected] to request your individual login to grant access to SAP Tennis Analytics for Media. TOP SEED OPEN PRESENTED BY BLUEGRASS ORTHOPAEDICS – QUICK FACTS Main draw dates: Monday - Sunday, August 10-16, 2020 Singles Final: Sunday, August 16, 11:00am Doubles Final: Sunday, August 16, Following Singles Final Venue: Top Seed Tennis Club Status: WTA International event Staging: Tournament’s 1st year Draw sizes: 32 singles / 16 doubles teams / 24 singles qualifying Surface: Deco Turf II / Outdoors Total prize money: USD $225,500 Tennis Ball: Wilson US Open – Regular Duty SINGLES USD $ RANK POINTS Winner 25,000 280 Runner-Up 14,000 180 Semifinalist 8,700 110 Quarterfinalist 5,000 60 Round of 16 3,150 30 Round of 32 2,300 1 MAIN DRAW QUICK-HITS Singles wildcards: Catherine McNally (USA), Shelby Rogers (USA), Vera Zvonareva (RUS) Youngest singles player: Coco Gauff, 16 years old (March 13, 2004) Oldest singles player: Venus Williams, 40 years old (June 17, 1980) TOURNAMENT TALKING POINTS • The 1st edition of the Top Seed Open presented by Bluegrass Orthaepedics is headlined by Grand Slam champions: Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens. • Azarenka and V.Williams are set to face off in a blockbuster first round. The winner will potentially see S.Williams, who opens her Lexington campaign against Bernarda Pera, in the second round. • One To Watch – Coco Gauff. The 16-year-old American enters this tournament fresh from reaching the first Grand Slam R16 of her career, earlier this year at the Australian Open. Gauff’s run helped her reach her career high ranking of No. 49 on February 24, 2020. Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA 1 PREVIEW NOTES: TOP SEED OPEN PRESENTED BY BLUEGRASS ORTHOPAEDICS LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, USA | AUGUST 10-16, 2020 | USD $225,500 INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY AND REGION BREAKDOWN Excluding qualifiers, a total of 11 countries and regions are represented in the main draw, led by home nation USA with 13 players: Australia (1) Ajla Tomljanovic Belarus (2) Victoria Azarenka, Aryna Sabalenka Czech Republic (1) Marie Bouzkova Great Britain (2) Johanna Konta, Heather Watson Japan (1) Misaki Doi Kazahkstan (1) Yulia Putintseva Poland (1) Magda Linette Russia (2) Anna Blinkova, Vera Zvonareva Switzerland (1) Jil Teichmann Tunisia (1) Ons Jabeur USA (13) Amanda Anisimova, Catherine Bellis, Madison Brengle, Jennifer Brady, Lauren Davis, Coco Gauff, Catherine McNally, Jessica Pegula, Bernarda Pera, Shelby Rogers, Sloane Stephens, Serena Williams, Venus Williams WTA4LOVE – SUPPORTING THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY • As part of the ongoing humanitarian campaign, WTA4Love, more than 100 community initiatives have been undertaken by WTA players and partners since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. • Many players are stepping up again to raise awareness by wearing WTA4Love patches during competition in support of the ongoing campaign as we return to play. • WTA4Love initiatives have provided COVID-19 support ranging from donations of medical equipment to hospitals, including 30,000 masks donated to medical professionals through the efforts of the players and WTA Charities. • Food insecurity has also been addressed by providing 24,000 meals to families and frontline workers and through fundraisers for local foodbanks. WTA Charities will continue to support the ongoing needs of communities with upcoming donations of 100,000 meals in partnership with Lilly Pulitzer including 24,000 meals donated locally to God’s Pantry Foodbank in Lexington, KY. • “WTA4Love” is a global campaign with activities and donations by players and WTA Charities in 14 of the countries which are home to WTA tournaments and most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including China, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, among others. • In addition to the urgent focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, WTA Charities has continued to support a wide range of nonprofit organizations including live video chats teaching leadership and character development to youth and offering support and positive messaging to Special Olympics participants. • For more information on each player’s specific activities, please contact WTA Communications Manager, Teyva Sammet [email protected] Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA 2 PREVIEW NOTES: TOP SEED OPEN PRESENTED BY BLUEGRASS ORTHOPAEDICS LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, USA | AUGUST 10-16, 2020 | USD $225,500 INTERNATIONAL 2020 WTA TOUR FINALS Week of Level Tournament Singles Final Doubles Final January 6 Premier Brisbane, AUS [2] Pliskova d. [8] Keys 64 46 75 Hsieh/Strycova d. Barty/Bertens 36 76(7) 108 Int. Shenzhen, CHN [5] Alexandrova d. [7] Rybakina 62 64 Krejcikova/Siniakova d. Duan/Zheng 62 36 104 Int. Auckland, NZL [1] Williams d. Pegula 63 64 Muhammad/Townsend d. Williams/Wozniacki 64 64 January 13 Premier Adelaide, AUS [1] Barty d. Yastremska 62 75 Melichar/Xu d. Dabrowski/Jurak 26 75 105 Int. Hobart, AUS [3] Rybakina d. [4] Zhang 76(7) 63 Kichenok/Mirza d. Peng/Zhang 64 64 January 20 GS Melbourne, AUS [14] Kenin d. Muguruza 46 62 62 Babos/Mladenovic d. Hsieh/Strycova 62 61 February 10 Premier St. P’burg, RUS [2] Bertens d. [8] Rybakina 61 63 Aoyama/Shibahara d. Christian/Guarachi 46 60 103 Int. Hua Hin, THA [5] Linette d. [Q] Kung 63 62 Rodionova/Sanders d. Haas/Perez 63 63 February 17 Premier Dubai, UAE [1] Halep d. Rybakina 36 63 76(5) Hsieh/Strycova d. Krejcikova/Zheng 76 36 105 February 24 Premier Doha, QAT [9] Sabalenka d. [8] Kvitova 63 63 Hsieh/Strycova d. Dabrowski/Ostapenko 62 57 102 Int. Acapulco, MEX [7] Watson d. [Q] Fernandez 64 67(8) 61 Krawczyk/Olmos d. Bondarenko/Fichman 63 76(5) March 2 Int. Lyon, FRA [1] Kenin d. Friedsam 62 46 64 Paar/Wachaczyk d. Pattinama Kerkh./Schoofs 75 64 Int. Monterrey, MEX [1] Svitolina d. [9] Bouzkova 75 46 64 Bondarenko/Fichman d. Kato/Wang 46 63 107 A SNAPSHOT OF 2020 – THE YEAR SO FAR • One Top 10 Debut: Sofia Kenin (at No.7 on February 3) • Fewest games dropped en route to a title: Kiki Bertens (25, St. Petersburg) • Lowest-ranked player to triumph: Heather Watson (No.69, Acapulco) • Most finals: Elena Rybakina: 4 (Shenzhen, R-Up, Hobart, W, St. Petersburg, R-Up, Dubai, R-Up); Sofia Kenin: 2 (Australian Open, W, Lyon, W) • Maiden titles (1): Ekaterina Alexandrova (Shenzhen) • Youngest title winner: Elena Rybakina, Hobart (20y 7m 1d) • Oldest title winner: Serena Williams, Auckland (38y 3m 17d) • Aces leaders: Elena Rybakina – 144, Garbiñe Muguruza – 122, Kristyna Pliskova – 80 • Most aces in a match (22): Alison Van Uytvanck (l. vs. Sofia Kenin 7-6(5) 6-7(2) 7-6(2) – Lyon, SF) • Match win leaders: Elena Rybakina – 21, Garbiñe Muguruza – 16, Sofia Kenin – 15 • Most three-set matches played (10): Elena Rybakina (9-1 record), Garbiñe Muguruza (7-3) • Most doubles titles (3): Barbora Strycova / Hsieh Su-Wei (Brisbane, Dubai, Doha) • Best result by a qualifier (R-Up): Kung (Hua Hin), Fernandez (Acapulco) • Longest match: 3h 33m – Heather Watson d. Elise Mertens 6-7(5) 6-4 7-5 (Hobart, QF) • Shortest (completed) match: 44m – Serena Williams d. Amanda Anisimova 6-1 6-1 (Auckland, SF) • Most Top 10 wins (3): Garbiñe Muguruza (No.3 Simona Halep, No.5 Elina Svitolina and No.10 Kiki Bertens – all at Australian Open) Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA 3 PREVIEW NOTES: TOP SEED OPEN PRESENTED BY BLUEGRASS ORTHOPAEDICS LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, USA | AUGUST 10-16, 2020 | USD $225,500 INTERNATIONAL SEASON & CAREER PRIZE MONEY LEADERS PLAYER SINGLES DOUBLES 2020 TOTAL Sofia Kenin (USA) $2,966,286 $45,757 $3,012,043 Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) $1,603,605 - $1,603,605 Simona Halep (ROU) $1,439,783 $4,051 $1,443,834 Ashleigh Barty (AUS) $1,040,588 $38,314 $1,078,902 Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) $765,578 $51,005 $816,583 Petra Kvitova (CZE) $765,741 - $771,741 Elena Rybakina (KAZ) $740,968 $13,164 $745,132 Ons Jabeur (TUN) $468,146 $21,477 $489,623 Karolina Pliskova (CZE) $475,306 $9,865 $485,171 Anett Kontaveit (EST) $460,226 $16,644 $476,890 PLAYER CAREER TOTAL Serena Williams (USA) $92,715,122 Venus Williams (USA) $41,805,656 Maria Sharapova (RUS) $38,777,962 Simona Halep (ROU) $36,551,855 Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) $35,233,415 Petra Kvitova (CZE) $31,838,378 Victoria Azarenka (BLR) $30,357,805 Angelique Kerber (GER) $29,526,500 Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) $27,683,807 Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) $25,389,852 Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA 4 .