Qualifiers Stay Alive

Qualifiers Stay Alive

FORT WORTH, Texas (August 3, 2016) – Five of the eight qualifiers remained alive in the main draw bracket as the first round of singles and doubles wrapped up on Wednesday at the 2016 Fort Worth Pro Tennis Classic $25K Women’s Pro Circuit Event at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center on the campus of TCU.

The top three seeds in the main draw of singles were able to pick up straight set wins in their first round matches to move into the Round of 16 at the tournament. No. 1 seed and No. 127 Elise Mertens of Belgium secured her victory yesterday, while No. 2 seed and No. 194 Tara Moore of Great Britain dominated No. 452 Olivia Rogowska of Australia, 6-0, 6-2, in the final match of the day. No. 3 seed and No. 208 Mayo Hibi rounds out the only seeded players left in the draw as she defeated American teenager and No. 585 Alexa Graham, 7-6(2), 6-4.

All eight qualifiers plus two lucky losers saw their first action in the main draw in singles on Wednesday with five of them coming out victorious and into the next round. Two of the youngest players in the tournament, Usue Arconada and Claire Liu of the United States, both moved into the next round with identical 6-2, 6-1 victories over their opponents. Arconada will take on No. 326 Elizaveta Ianchuk of the Ukraine, while Liu will face off with Hibi in the Round of 16 on Thursday.

Two former collegiate players are also into the next round of main draw singles with Arizona State graduate Jacqueline Cako of the United States winning her singles and doubles match on Wednesday. Cako defeated Slovakian teen sensation Tereza Mihalikova, 6-4, 6-3, before pairing with USC grad Danielle Lao of the United States to take out Lorraine Guillermo and Catherine Harrison of the United States, 6-4, 6-3. After scoring a doubles win yesterday with partner Ashley Weinhold, Whoriskey was able to continue her singles winning streak by downing No. 441 Lisa Whybourn of Great Britain.

The top seed on the doubles side of the main draw was upset, as Olympic silver medalist Laura Robson and her partner Freya Christie of Great Britain were able to score a 6-3, 2-6, 12-10 victory over Ksenia Lykina of Russia and Mertens. The duo will face Chieh-Yu Hsu of Taiwan and Chanel Simmonds of South Africa in the quarterfinals tomorrow in the third set of matches.

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. The main draw portion of the tournament will continue on Thursday with matches beginning at 9 a.m. 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

Wednesday, August 3 – RESULTS
Singles – Main Draw First Round
Usue Arconada, United States d. Brynn Boren, United States, 6-2, 6-1
Claire Liu, United States d. Maria Mateas, United States, 6-2, 6-1
Jacqueline Cako, United States d. Tereza Mihalikova, United States, 6-4, 6-3
Caitlin Whoriskey, United States d. Lisa Whybourn, Great Britain, 6-1, 6-2
Ashley Weinhold, United States d. Michelle Larcher de Brito, Portugal (6), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7)
Elizaveta Ianchuk, Ukraine d. Nazari Urbina, Mexico, 6-4, 7-5
Katie Boulter, Great Britain d. Alexandra Sanford, United States, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
Mayo Hibi, Japan (3), d. Alexa Graham, United States, 7-6(2), 6-4
Tara Moore, Great Britain (2), d. Olivia Rogowska, Australia, 6-0, 6-2

Doubles – Main Draw
Chieh-Yu Hsu, Taiwan/Chanel Simmonds, South Africa d. Brynn Boren, United States/Ilze Hattingh, South Africa, 3-6, 7-5, 10-5
Jacqueline Cake/Danielle Lao, United States (3), d. Lorraine Guillermo/Catherine Harrison, United States, 6-4, 6-3
Freya Christie/Laura Robson, Great Britain d. Ksenia Lykina, Russia/Elise Merten, Belgium (1), 6-3, 2-6, 12-10