FORT WORTH, Texas (July 30, 2018) – Day two of qualifying in singles action continued at the 2018 Fort Worth Pro Tennis Classic $25K Women’s Pro Circuit Event on Monday at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center on the campus of TCU with all 10 seeded players moving into the second round.
The top 10 seeds in the qualifying draw stayed true to form on day two of the tournament with eight of the players winning their matches in straight sets. No. 1 seed and No. 723 ranked Paige Hourigan of New Zealand saw action for the first time as she breezed past Alexandra Sanford of the United States, 6-3, 6-2.
Hourigan, a former All-American at Georgia Tech, will be one of 12 current or former NCAA collegiate athletes competing for a spot in the main draw tomorrow. No. 4 seed and UNC rising junior, Alexa Graham of the United States, got a 6-4, 6-0 win over Madison Westby of the United States, while No. 9 seed and Duke returner Kelly Chen of the United States downed highly touted junior player Kailey Evans of the United States, 6-0, 6-3.
Two top junior players also remain alive in the qualifying draw with California native and No. 2 seed Alexa Ryngler able to top 15-year-old Gianna Pielet of the United States, 7-5, 6-2, while Jeanette Mireles of the United States posted a 6-1, 6-3 win over local junior player Addison Guevara of the United States.
Twelve of the 16 remaining players hail from the United States, with the other players hailing from Georgia, Mexico, New Zealand and Russia. The final round of qualifying will begin at 9 a.m., on the Bernard J. ‘Tut’ Bartzen Varsity Courts, with the eight winners moving into the main draw bracket.
The two qualifying matches in doubles action also took place on Monday with the local wildcards Evans and Guevara taking the 6-0, 6-2 victory over the pair of Nina Khmelnitckaia of Russia and Lina Padegimaite of Lithuania. The Cal teammates of Olivia Hauger and Maria Smith from the United States snagged the final spot in the main draw with a 6-0, 6-2 win over the pair of Charity Johns and Rosalyn Small 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 29-Aug. 5. The main draw portion of the tournament will begin in the afternoon on July 31. 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 $15,000 to $125,000, 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 39 years ago 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 more than $3 million in prize money. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed in cities nationwide. Andy Murray, Maria Sharapova, John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Kei Nishikori, Victoria Azarenka, and Sam Querrey and are among today’s top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.
By Abby Norman
Tournament Press Aid
Monday July 30 – RESULTS
Singles – Qualifying Second Round
Rhiann Newborn, United States d. Rachel Janssen, United States, W/O
Jessica Failla, United States d. Ceijenia Cornelius, United States, 2-0, abandon
Salome Devidze, Georgia (3) d. Aleksa Cveticanin, Australia, 6-1, 6-2
Alexa Graham, United States (4) d. Madison Westby, United States, 6-4, 6-0
Jeanette Mireles, United States d. Addison Guevara, United States, 6-1, 6-3
Nina Khmelnitckaia, Russia d. Liga Dekmeijere, Latvia, 6-1, 6-2
Andie K. Daniell, United States d. Alexandra Osborne, Australia, 6-3, 6-0
Amy Zhu, United States (7) d. Elise Van Heuvelen, Great Britain, 6-4, 6-3
Kelly Chen, United States (9) d. Kailey Evans, United States, 6-0, 6-3
Lauren Proctor, United States (8) d. Alexandra Mikhailuk, Canada, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
McCartney Kessler, United States (10) d. Chelsea Kung, United States, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3
Caitlin Bernard, United States d. Lina Padegimaite, Lithuania, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
Alexa Ryngler, United States (2) d. Gianna Pielet, United States, 7-5, 6-2
Jessica Hinojosa Gomez, Mexico d. Kelley Anderson, United States, 6-3, 6-4
Paige Hourigan, New Zealand (1) d. Alexandra Sanford, United States, 6-3, 6-2
Safiya Carrington, United States (6) d. Sophia Whittle, United States, 6-3, 6-4
Doubles – Qualifying
Olivia Hauger/Maria Smith, United States d. Charity Johns/Rosalyn Small, United States, 6-0, 6-2
Kailey Evans/Addison Guevara, United States d. Nina Khmelnitckaia, Russia/Lina Padegimaite, Lithuania, 6-4, 6-2