Qualifiers Start Talking After Winning Into Main Draw at Volvo Car Open Today
Steve Fogleman in Charleston
Last night, there were 8 seats up for grabs at the Volvo Car Open Main Draw at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island, South Carolina. By 9:00 a.m., they were down to 7 as American Lauren Davis won on a walkover due to a Varvara Flink injury. Little did the fans know that Davis would be the only American main draw pickup of the day. The last match between Kayla Day and Francesca DiLorenzo ensured that there would be at least one American. So for Davis and DiLorenzo, it’s on to the big dance. And as for the other six lucky qualifiers…
Destanee Aiava— The Australian has played Brisbane before, but this is her first American premier-level event. “It’s still sinking in,” she told me right after the 6-3, 6-1 victory over Tereza Martincova. “I’ve worked so hard the last couple of months and I’m just to happy to start playing well and qualify for my first Charleston Volvo Car Open. It’s good to be here. It’s my type of weather, not too hot, not too cold, so I’m enjoying it.” When I told her it could be cold and rainy during the first round, she replied, “That’s my favorite weather!” Draws: Belinda Bencic
Magdalena Frech–On the green: “I think it’s amazing. It’s just here in USA so there’s no clay in Europe like this.” She knocked out Conny Perrin 6-4, 6-1 to advance. Although she’s played in the main draw in Melbourne and Roland Garros before, this will be a first American premier tournament for the Pole as well. Draws: Mizhaela Buzarnescu
Nadiia Kichenok–In her return to singles after establishing herself as a doubles champion with her sister, Lyudmyla (who lost in the first round of qualifying yesterday), the Ukranian faced a hostile crowd today. She beat American Carolyn Dolehide, 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(10) in just under three hours on a packed Althea Gibson court as Dolehide stormed back. “I was having fun in the tiebreak, oh yeah,” she said sarcastically. “It was so many emotions and thoughts in the head but I am so happy I made it through.” About that partisan crowd, “It actually pushes me forward,” she said. “By cheering against me, I don’t mind. I like the ambiance because it’s so much fun to play in a great atmosphere. Draws: Fellow Qualifier Martina Trevisan
Martina Trevisan–“I also yesterday played very well,” she said. “I like so much this surface. I stay very good here and I like it so much right here.” Having beaten Karatantcheva today and at the 2018 US Open main draw, she says she feels more confident at this time and on this surface than she did in New York.
“I feel better even better than (coming into the) US Open, of course.” Draws: Fellow Qualifier Nadiia Kichenok
Kateryna Kozlova–“I haven’t played on the green clay since 13, 14 years old, I think?” she told me after the straight sets win over Nicole Melichar. “I was always playing on the red clay, so in the beginning it was kind of weird. It’s not big different but still different movements. You can slide but less than the (red) clay, so I had to get used to it. It helped a lot that I came here one week before qualies right after Miami so I think I get used to conditions really good.”
On the colder weather forecast for the first round: “This can be a problem. I don’t think it’s good for anyone because it’s completely different conditions than now. Now it’s warm and the bounce is higher and that ball flies more and if it’s going to be bad if it’s complete opposite, but we are all in the same conditions, so let’s see who is more able to get used to those conditions.” Draws: Kristyna Pliskova
Astra Sharma--Since I was stuck in that long third set tiebreak on Althea Gibson with Dolehide and Kichenok (not complaining), I was unable to catch up with Sharma after her three set win over Aoyama.
Draws: Taylor Townsend
RESULTS – MARCH 31, 2019
Women’s
Qualifying Singles – Second Round
Qualifying – [1] K. Kozlova (UKR) d N. Melichar (USA) 61 63
Qualifying – [2] A. Sharma (AUS) d S. Aoyama (JPN) 64 36 61
Qualifying – [9] M. Frech (POL) d [3] C. Perrin (SUI) 64 61
Qualifying – [12] L. Davis (USA) d [4] V. Flink (RUS) walkover
Qualifying – [16] D. Aiava (AUS) d [5] T. Martincova (CZE) 63 61
Qualifying – N. Kichenok (UKR) d [6] C. Dolehide (USA) 76(3) 46 76(10)
Qualifying – [8] M. Trevisan (ITA) d [15] S. Karatantcheva (BUL) 62 63
Qualifying – [10] F. di Lorenzo (USA) d K. Day (USA) 64 64
ORDER OF PLAY – MONDAY, APRIL 01, 2019
VOLVO CAR STADIUM start 10:00 am
[WC] S. Lisicki (GER) vs [13] S. Kenin (USA)
[10] J. Ostapenko (LAT) vs J. Larsson (SWE)
[Q] D. Aiava (AUS) vs [9] B. Bencic (SUI)
[WC] S. Rogers (USA) vs E. Rodina (RUS)
ALTHEA GIBSON CLUB COURT start 10:00 am
J. Pegula (USA) vs I. Khromacheva (RUS)
S. Errani (ITA) vs M. Puig (PUR)
M. Linette (POL) vs [14] A. Tomljanovic (AUS)
[Q] A. Sharma (AUS) vs T. Townsend (USA)
COURT 3 start 10:00 am
S. Sorribes Tormo (ESP) vs F. Stollar (HUN)
N. Vikhlyantseva (RUS) vs T. Maria (GER)
P. Parmentier (FRA) vs A. Kiick (USA)
[Q] F. di Lorenzo (USA) vs A. Bolsova Zadoinov (ESP)
COURT 4 start 10:00 am
[PS] A. Friedsam (GER) vs T. Zidansek (SLO)
M. Minella (LUX) vs A. Schmiedlova (SVK)
[Q] M. Trevisan (ITA) vs [Q] N. Kichenok (UKR)
A. Friedsam (GER) / S. Sorribes Tormo (ESP) vs I. Bara (ROU) / M. Buzarnescu (ROU)
Tennis Atlantic 