FORT WORTH, Texas (July 31, 2016) – The 2016 Fort Worth Pro Tennis Classic $25K Women’s Pro Circuit Event kicked-off on Sunday with the opening round of the qualifying draw at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center on the campus of TCU.
All 16 seeded players in the qualifying draw held true to form and won their matches on Sunday with 13 of the matches claiming victory in straight sets. No. 8 seed and No. 575 Lizette Cabrera of Australia along with No. 14 seed and No. 769 Jessica Failla of the United States each had to battle back after dropping their first sets to get the win. Failla broke serve late in the second set against recent Florida grad Brianna Morgan to take the set 7-5 and then dominated the final set, 6-2. Cabrera faltered 6-2 in the first set to Maria Jose Portillo Ramirez of Mexico, before taking the second set tiebreaker, 7-1, and then finishing out the match, 6-3, in the final set to finish out the matches on the final court for the day.
Thirty-five current or incoming collegiate players, along with recent collegiate graduates competed in today’s competition representing 23 different colleges. Recent NCAA singles champion, Danielle Collins of the United States, was one of two former Virginia players, as she moved onto the next round with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over local wildcard and TCU tennis player Olaya Garrido-Rivas of Spain. Three colleges had at least three players represent on Sunday, with USC being the lone school to have all of its players move into the next round.
Three players who were awarded wildcards into qualifying were able to snag a win on the first day. TCU’s Marie Norris opened with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ilze Hattingh of South Africa and will face recent Wimbledon Junior doubles champion Usue Arconada in the first match at 9 a.m., on Monday. Recent Oklahoma State graduate Kelsey Laurente earned a 6-1, 6-0 win over Idia Amen of the United State to set a match-up with No. 16 seed Nazari Urbina of Mexico tomorrow. The final wildcard moving into Monday’s competition is Stephanie Nauta of the United States, who snagged a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Lorraine Guillermo of the United States.
The Fort Worth Pro Tennis Classic $25K USTA Pro Circuit event will be held at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center on the campus of TCU from July 31-Aug. 7. Competition will continue starting at 9 a.m., on Tuesday with qualifying rounds continuing until the morning of Aug. 2 and the main draw starting in the afternoon on Aug. 2. Professional athletes from around the world will be competing for $25,000 in prize money, as well as valuable WTA Tour Ranking points.
About the USTA Pro Circuit
With approximately 90 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. The USTA launched 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 $3 million in prize money. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed in cities nationwide. Victoria Azarenka, Eugenie Bouchard, John Isner, Madison Keys, Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, Sam Querrey and Caroline Wozniacki are among today’s top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.
By Abby Norman
Tournament Press Aid
Sunday July 31 – RESULTS
Singles – Qualifying First Round
Steffi Carruthers, Samoa d. Micheline Aubuchon, United States, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
Ashley Weinhold, United States (10) d. Lynn Kiro, South Africa, 6-0, 6-0
Anastasia Evgenyevna Nefedova, Russia d. Kat Facey, United States, 6-3, 6-2
Kylie McKenzie, United States d. Kiah Generette, United States, 7-5, 6-1
Katherine Sebov, Canada (12) d. Sumvruta Iyengar, United States, 6-1, 6-2
Tereza Mihalikova, Slovakia (5), d. Alexandra Valenstein, United States, 6-3, 6-3
Caitlin Whoriskey, United States (1), d. Christina McDonald, United States, 6-1, 6-1
Alba Cortina Pou, Spain d. Minying Liang, China, 6-4, 6-2
Victoria Flores, United States d. Crystel Butler, United States, 6-1, 6-0
Ronit Yurovsky, United States (13), d. Liza Fieldsend, United States, 6-1, 6-4
Nazari Urbina, Mexico (16), d. Charity Johns, United States, 6-0, 6-0
Usue Maitane Arconada, United States (2) d. Sabina Dadaciu, 6-4, 6-2
Marie Norris, United States d. Ilze Hattingh, South Africa, 6-1, 6-2
Jessica Failla, United States (14), d. Brianna Morgan, United States, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
Katie Boulter, Great Britain (3), d. Karla De la luz Montalvo, Mexico, 6-1, 6-2
Andie Daniell, United States d. Akiko Okuda, United States, 7-5, 6-3
Danielle Collins, United States d. Olaya Garrido-Rivas, Spain, 6-3, 6-0
Ingrid Neel, United States (11) d. Kaitlyn McCarthy, United States, 7-6(7), 7-5
Yuliya Beygelzimer, Ukraine (4) d. Tayla Whitehouse, Australia, 6-1, 6-2
Alexandra Facey, United States d. Kirstie Pathumanun Hearn, United States, 6-2, 6-2
Alexa Graham, United States (9), d. Jada Robinson, United States, 6-1, 6-1
Brynn Boren, United States d. Rachel Janssen, United States, 6-3, 6-2
Stephanie Nauta, United States d. Lorraine M. Guillermo, United States, 6-1, 6-4
Alexandra Sanford, United States (6), d. Joelle Kissell, United States, 7-6(5), 7-5
Giuliana Olmos, Mexico d. Parris Todd, United States: 7-5, 6-2
Kelsey Laurente, United States d. Idia Amen, United States, 6-1, 6-0
Claire Liu, United States (7), d. Shannon Hudson, United States, 6-4, 6-7(1), 7-5
Jessie Aney, United States d. Katharine Fahey, United States, 7-5, 6-4
Haley Carter, United States d. Emily Ottsen, United States, 6-0, 6-0
Amy Zhu, United States (15), d. Leyla Azaeva, Russia, 6-0, 6-2
Lizette Cabrera, Australia (8), d. Maria Jose Portillo Ramirez, Mexico, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-3
Keri Wong, United States d. Brooke Biddle, United States, 6-1, 6-0