Georgina Garcia Perez, 2018 Volvo Car Open
As the rest of Charleston went to church on Easter Sunday, some chose to go to the Church of Tennis Island. We heard eight rousing sermons of triumph and perseverance in the face of adversity on that sunny Sunday in the outdoor chapels of the Family Circle Cup Tennis Center as eight women advanced to the main draw of the Volvo Car Open.
Fanny Stollar, 2018 Volvo Car Open
Fanny Stollar was back. In fact, Fanny is a perfect name in an Easter story. Stollar flew through the first set against Ulrikke Eikeri and the crowd started thinking this was going to be a short service. Then, Eikeri roared back in the second, jumping out to a 3-0 lead before Stollar ended the service 6-1, 6-4. After the match, in which she played much better tennis than Saturday, she wasn’t answering my questions, stopping only to sign a tiny fraction of the autographs requested by fans. I’m not sure if she wasn’t well or if she is just in her own little zone, but most players in Charleston are friendlier to the fans.
Francesca Di Lorenzo was workmanlike in her 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Alla Kudryavtseva on Althea Gibson stadium court. The young American and former Ohio State standout (thanks Colette Lewis!) also played a better match than she did in the opening qualifying round. After dropping the first set, she kicked her game into high gear and the match was never in doubt thereafter. Her next opponent is none other than Fanny Stollar.
Maryland’s Sophie Chang went up 5-0 in the first set of her match against Silvia Soler-Espinosa and then the Spaniard also turned on the afterburners and took the match 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. All in all, it was a good weekend for the 20-year-old Chang, who was playing her first ever qualifying for a premier event.
Caroline Dolehide has the USTA clay in Orlando to thank for her winning ways over the weekend. She beat Misaki Doi of Japan in straight sets and will play Johanna Larsson this afternoon.
Kayla Day and Georgina Garcia Perez put on a marathon match and it was the Spaniard who prevailed in 3 tight sets. Today, Garcia Perez meets Camila Giorgi.
Yes, the sermons were long, but they were never boring. And the best part about this religion is that it’s not reserved for Sundays. The revival tent will be here all week.
VOLVO CAR OPEN – CHARLESTON, USA
$800,000
APRIL 2 – 8, 2018
RESULTS – APRIL 1, 2018
Women’s
Qualifying Singles – Second Round
Qualifying – [3] V. Lapko (BLR) d [WC] J. Pegula (USA) 75 64
Qualifying – [5] C. Dolehide (USA) d [10] M. Doi (JPN) 76(7) 63
Qualifying – [7] G. Garcia Perez (ESP) d [12] K. Day (USA) 62 67(3) 64
Qualifying – [8] M. Zanevska (BEL) d [9] D. Yastremska (UKR) 76(4) 26 63
Qualifying – C. Liu (USA) d [11] I. Bara (ROU) 76(5) 36 62
Qualifying – [14] S. Soler-Espinosa (ESP) d S. Chang (USA) 36 61 61
Qualifying – F. Stollar (HUN) d [16] U. Eikeri (NOR) 61 64
Qualifying – F. di Lorenzo (USA) d A. Kudryavtseva (RUS) 46 61 61
ORDER OF PLAY – MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2018
VOLVO CAR STADIUM start 10:00 am
K. Bondarenko (UKR) vs [14] A. Cornet (FRA)
V. Lepchenko (USA) vs A. Petkovic (GER)
J. Brady (USA) vs [10] N. Osaka (JPN)
A. Krunic (SRB) vs [WC] B. Mattek-Sands (USA)
ALTHEA GIBSON CLUB COURT start 10:00 am
C. Mchale (USA) vs Z. Diyas (KAZ)
[11] D. Gavrilova (AUS) vs O. Jabeur (TUN)
[Q] S. Soler-Espinosa (ESP) vs C. Giorgi (ITA)
J. Larsson (SWE) vs [Q] C. Dolehide (USA)
COURT 3 start 10:00 am
B. Pera (USA) vs J. Cepelova (SVK)
[12] K. Bertens (NED) vs V. Cepede Royg (PAR)
[Q] V. Lapko (BLR) vs [15] M. Buzarnescu (ROU)
[3] A. Klepac (SLO) / M. Martínez Sánchez (ESP) vs A. Rosolska (POL) / A. Spears (USA)
COURT 4 start 10:00 am
L. Siegemund (GER) vs N. Vikhlyantseva (RUS)
[Q] F. Stollar (HUN) vs [Q] F. di Lorenzo (USA)
Not Before 2:00 pm
P. Hercog (SLO) vs [Q] M. Zanevska (BEL)
T. Maria (GER) / K. Pliskova (CZE) vs [WC] L. Arruabarrena (ESP) / S. Errani (ITA)
VOLVO CAR OPEN – CHARLESTON, USA
$800,000
April 2 – 8, 2018
Women’s Singles
First Round
[1] C. Garcia (FRA) – Bye
V. Lepchenko (USA) vs. A. Petkovic (GER)
P. Hercog (SLO) vs. [Q] M. Zanevska (BEL)
K. Bondarenko (UKR) vs. [14] A. Cornet (FRA)
[12] K. Bertens (NED) vs. V. Cepede Royg (PAR)
A. Krunic (SRB) vs. [WC] B. Mattek-Sands (USA)
[Q] F. Stollar (HUN) vs. [Q] F. di Lorenzo (USA)
[6] J. Konta (GBR) – Bye
[4] S. Stephens (USA) – Bye
B. Pera (USA) vs. J. Cepelova (SVK)
E. Bouchard (CAN) vs. [WC] S. Errani (ITA)
[Q] V. Lapko (BLR) vs. [15] M. Buzarnescu (ROU)
[11] D. Gavrilova (AUS) vs. O. Jabeur (TUN)
[Q] S. Soler-Espinosa (ESP) vs. C. Giorgi (ITA)
B. Haddad Maia (BRA) vs. L. Arruabarrena (ESP)
[7] M. Keys (USA) – Bye
[5] J. Goerges (GER) – Bye
K. Ahn (USA) vs. S. Stosur (AUS)
L. Siegemund (GER) vs. N. Vikhlyantseva (RUS)
J. Brady (USA) vs. [10] N. Osaka (JPN)
[13] I. Begu (ROU) vs. [Q] G. Garcia Perez (ESP)
[Q] C. Liu (USA) vs. M. Linette (POL)
C. Mchale (USA) vs. Z. Diyas (KAZ)
[3] D. Kasatkina (RUS) – Bye
[8] A. Sevastova (LAT) – Bye
J. Larsson (SWE) vs. [Q] C. Dolehide (USA)
L. Davis (USA) vs. T. Maria (GER)
S. Kenin (USA) vs. [9] A. Barty (AUS)
[16] E. Vesnina (RUS) vs. M. Brengle (USA)
H. Watson (GBR) vs. T. Townsend (USA)
K. Siniakova (CZE) vs. K. Pliskova (CZE)
[2] P. Kvitova (CZE) – Bye
Tennis Atlantic 