Wang Qiang, 2019 Bronx Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

The Battle in the Bronx Heats Up for Quarterfinalists
Steve Fogleman in the Bronx

It’s been a slow march at the Cary Leeds Center in the Bronx’s Crotona Park as the tournament scheduled four second round matches on Tuesday and Wednesday. Today’s four matches offer the survivors a place in the semifinals as a reward for their perseverance during this hot week in a tournament virtually isolated from the New York they’ve come to know and love.

Magda Linette, 2019 Bronx Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

Including qualifying, Magda Linette has won five straight matches on the Bronx courts this week, embarrassing Aliaksandra Sasnovich with a 6-1, 6-4 win yesterday. She’d like to make it six in a row, but 10th seed Karolina Muchova stands in the way. The Czech dispatched the penultimate American in the draw, Kristie Ahn, 6-3, 6-1.

Camilla Giorgi, 2019 Bronx Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

It seems like Camilla Giorgi is on the cusp of another title. After a good run through the draw in Washington, she ended up in the final only to wilt in the notorious heat and humidity there. Coming back from injury, that wasn’t surprising. Her preparation over the last month suggests that she may be ready to rake in her third title. To do it, she’ll need to overcome the player with the most career titles left in the draw, Alize Cornet. It will not surprise me if the winner of this match takes home the Bronx Open gold-plated manhole cover on Saturday.

Wang Qiang has done all she’s needed to do to justify her #1 seeding. A rather routine win against Fiona Ferro yesterday gave her just enough court time to compete well today. Sometimes a bye can be a curse in a tournament, but she showed no signs of rust and should be in good form to edge past Anna Blinkova. The 20-year-old lucky loser stunned Mihaela Buzarnescu on Wednesday.

The last American standing, in singles or doubles, is Bernarda Pera. She’ll face the top seed remaining in the bottom half of the draw, Karolina Muchova. I’m sensing an upset here as Pera’s shown signs of improved confidence with her matchplay this month.

RESULTS – AUGUST 21, 2019

Singles – Second Round
[1] Q. Wang (CHN) d [Q] F. Ferro (FRA) 61 64
[Q] M. Linette (POL) d [9] A. Sasnovich (BLR) 61 64
[10] K. Muchova (CZE) d [WC] K. Ahn (USA) 63 61
[LL] A. Blinkova (RUS) d M. Buzarnescu (ROU) 16 63 63

Doubles – Semifinals
[3] D. Jurak (CRO) / M. Martinez Sanchez (ESP) d [2] H. Chan (TPE) / L. Chan (TPE) 16 63 12-10
Quarterfinals
S. Aoyama (JPN) / A. Krunic (SRB) d R. Olaru (ROU) / Z. Yang (CHN) 06 61 11-9

ORDER OF PLAY – THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019
VICTOR KIAM STADIUM start 11:00 am
[5] K. Siniakova (CZE) vs [WC] B. Pera (USA)
[10] K. Muchova (CZE) vs [Q] M. Linette (POL)
C. Giorgi (ITA) vs A. Cornet (FRA)
[1] Q. Wang (CHN) vs [LL] A. Blinkova (RUS)

PERSHING SQUARE STADIUM start 12:00 pm
M. Gasparyan (RUS) / M. Niculescu (ROU) vs S. Aoyama (JPN) / A. Krunic (SRB)