Kayla Day

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All-American Final at @Cville_USTA Charlottesville With Top Dog Day and Underdog Chirico

Posted by Admin on April 28, 2024
Posted in: Charlottesville, ITF, Virginia. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Charlottesville, VA–I made the mistake of checking out a betting site yesterday for odds on the matches at the Boar’s Head resort Women’s Open, and I was surprised to see that Louisa Chirico was a big underdog in her match against Maya Joint. Of course, she won in straight sets. She’ll have to beat Vegas again today, as Chirico posts as a +198 underdog against top seed Kayla Day. Both players have had a great week, with Chirico advancing in straight sets against Ashton Brown, two games and a retirement for Allie Kiick, and a tough three setter against Grammatikopoulou before yesterday’s win over Joint.

Day hasn’t dropped a set all week with wins over Yamalapalli, Sophie Chang, Lepchenko and Sun. Yesterday, both finalists cruised over very talented opponents. I expect today’s final to be a close match and I still believe that Chirico is a good value if you are looking to wager on this match.

When a player asks if you are Tennis Atlantic, rather than if you are with Tennis Atlantic, the initial reaction is to deny everything. He left yesterday, I’d tell them. But alas, I fessed up when Kayla Day asked me if I was Tennis Atlantic yesterday. She took exception to a post I’d made a day earlier where I thought I heard her use a four-letter word after a missed drop shot in the quarterfinals. She set the record straight: she doesn’t use that kind of language on court.

Chirico look composed from the opening point in her match against future University of Texas MVP Maya Joint as she broke serve in the first game and never looked back. Her confidence and form is at a year-high rank and I’m not sure the odds makers are yet aware of that. Beating the top seed for a second title here in Charlottesville in three years would certainly set the record straight for her as well.

Tomorrow’s title will write itself this afternoon: it’s either the Kayla Day Show, Day of the Living Kayla, Chirico Comeback Tour or Louisa County Comeback. Louisa County is just East of Charlottesville. Joke’s not funny when you have to explain it.

—S. Fogleman

Day of Reckoning at @Cville_USTA @ITF Charlottesville Singles Semifinals, Doubles Final

Posted by Admin on April 27, 2024
Posted in: Charlottesville, ITF, USTA, USTA Pro Circuit, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Charlottesville, VA–The business end of the tournament is in full swing as they start to hand the hardware out at the Boar’s Head Resort Women’s Open in Charlottesville on a grey, damp and cool Saturday.

Is this the Kayla Day Show or not? Yesterday was a Kayla Day, as she frustrated former World #19 Vavara Lepchenko in a tense 7-6(6), 7-5 win for Day, Charlottesville’s top seed and the current World #84. No other player here is ranked in the top 160 in singles, so the conventional wisdom is that the title is hers to lose.

She’ll be a -130 favorite against Lulu Sun in the second semifinals match. Sun posted a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win over Elvina Kalieva of the United States in the quarterfinals.

The big mystery for me here is why Louisa Chirico is such a big underdog against Australian Maya Joint.

Joint is a smaller player with big counterpunches, but Chirico is in form off of last year’s injury. She’s won this tournament before and grew up in a similar Mid-Atlantic climate. She showed poise in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback win against Valentini Grammatikopoulou yesterday, and I while I expect a close match today, a bettor would have to take a long look at Chirico at +188 with interest.

Doubles hardware is on the line in the first match up. The doubles final features top seeds Emily Appleton and Quinn Gleason against the Russian Marias–Maria Kononova and Maria Kozyreva. The British/American duo of Appleton and Gleason are slight favorites, but the Russians have been punching above their weight all week.

And nobody asked me, but Texas is the big winner this weekend. Lulu Sun is a former Longhorn, and Maya Joint plans to join the Texas Women’s Tennis team this fall. Although a Lone Star showdown isn’t highly likely, it would be one hell of a showcase for the program.

—S. Fogleman

It’s Quarterfinals Friday at @Cville_USTA @BoarsHeadResort Women’s Open in Charlottesville

Posted by Admin on April 26, 2024
Posted in: Charlottesville, ITF, USTA, Virginia. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

We’re down to eight at the Boar’s Head Women’s Open in Charlottesville, Virginia, the outdoor clay ITF W80 level event. This year’s field hasn’t been the strongest ever, with top seed #84 Kayla Day the only player in the top 150, but as the cream rises to the top, the late rounds are filled with talent.

Take Varvara Lepchenko: the 37-year-old American is a former top 20 player who played her heart out to defeat a player less than half her age, Liv Hovde, in a resumed third set on Friday where she struggled to win two points in a row. Somehow, she emerged from the set, 7-5, to face Slovakian Martina Okalova less than two hours later. She eased through the first set, but you could feel and hear her exhaustion in the second set tiebreak as she prevailed, 6-4, 7-6(3). She double-faulted on slow second set serves but had just enough to advance to the quarterfinals. Today, we’ll be treated to what is, in effect, a final here with a contest between Lepchenko and Day.

No quarterfinalist should be more rested than 2022 singles champion Louisa Chirico. She advanced after two games yesterday over Allie Kiick in retirement. Chirico was also one of the few lucky players to have played a Tuesday first round match, which she won in straight sets over wild card Ashton Bowers, 6-3, 6-4. Today, Chirico will do business with Valentini Grammatikopoulou with a semis spot on the line.

Australian Maya Joint is the youngest quarterfinalist, and she looks to advance to the semifinals with a win against Hannah Chang. Also, 20-year-old American Elvina Kalieva will meet up with the plucky Lulu Sun of New Zealand. Sun is the only player remaining in both the single and doubles draws. Doubles semifinals matches today include Sun and Fanny Stollar against #1 seeds Quinn Gleason and Emily Appleton, who will face the winner of the match between Jessie Aney/Christina Rosca and the Russian Marias–Kononova and Kozyreva. You know that @Tennis_Shots will be pulling for the pair of Marias today.

—S. Fogleman

Qualifying Sunday Underway With 8 Main Draw Spots on Line @VolvoCarOpen

Posted by Admin on March 31, 2019
Posted in: Charleston, Volvo Car Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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Qualifying Sunday Underway With 8 Main Draw Spots on Line at Volvo Car Open
Steve Fogleman in Charleston

The carnival rides from the South Carolina State Fair were in full motion as I pulled up to the Volvo Car Open for opening round qualifying yesterday on Daniel Island, South Carolina. It’s a fitting metaphor for this place, which gets far less attention than the “Tennis Garden”.  The grounds, like the clay courts themselves, are expertly manicured. At the East Coast’s last women-only tour level tennis event, there’s a carnival atmosphere, an almost Disney-like feeling here with an overwhelming amount of choices for a fan.

Madison Keys, Jelena Ostapenko, Shelby Rogers and Belinda Bencic hosted hundreds of fans sitting in on their practices on Stadium court, while thousands packed Althea Gibson court and outer courts to watch sixteen qualifying matches.

Lauren Davis, 2019 Volvo Car Open (TennisAtlantic.com)

If you were an American and your last name began with a D, you won yesterday. Lauren Davis started the D run with a 7-6(2), 6-0 breezer over Lyudmyla Kichenok on Gibson. And just like that, she’s already qualified this morning in a walkover of Varvara Flink.

Francesca DiLorenzo, 2019 Volvo Car Open (TennisAtlantic.com)

Francesca DiLorenzo, a 2019 Charleston qualifier, prevailed against Volvo Car Open pre-qualifier Jessica Ho, 6-3, 6-3. After the match, DiLo told me “I love the clay. I’ve been practicing on it for a couple of weeks now and getting used to it again, but I really like it.” On her opponent, Jessica Ho, she said “I thinks she played really well today. She gets a lot of balls back and I knew it was going to be a grind of a match. She’s such a tough player and she fights for every ball. I just tried to stay patient, look for opportunities and go for it when I had the chance.”

For DiLorenzo, a chance to be in Charleston is not one to miss.

“I really like the environment. I just like Charleston in general. Last year, I qualied here so that’s cool for me. I enjoy the clay and I enjoy the city so that always helps.”

Caroline Dolehide, 2019 Volvo Car Open (TennisAtlantic.com)

Caroline Dolehide advanced to a qualifying final with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lidziya Marozava and faces Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine for a spot in the main draw.

Kayla Day needed three sets to upset Bibiane Schoofs, 7-5, 6-7(1), 6-3 to set up an All-American matchup today with DiLorenzo.  “I got a wild card in to the main draw (last year) and I remember I lost in three sets on this court, so it feels really good to win today,” Day told me. “Every single match I’ve played here has gone three sets so I’m always prepared for a fight here.” She opined that “for first round of qualies, the support was amazing. Not many WTA tournaments you go to have this kind of atmosphere in the first round of qualies. This felt like a final. It was great.”

Kayla Day, 2019 Volvo Car Open (TennisAtlantic.com)

And though, with not a D in her name, Nicole Melichar survived Silvia Soler-Espinosa in three, 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-3 to take on top qualifying seed Kateryna Kozlova for a main draw berth.

It should be a short day with seven matches lined up and a threat of showers in the later afternoon before a major climate change moves through. The temperature is predicted to drop 30 degrees in the next 24 hours, so expect a slow-moving ball on Monday when main draw play begins.

American Roundup at @VolvoCarOpen: Day’s Wild Card, Kenin’s Big Win & A Cooler, Confident Lauren Davis

Posted by Admin on April 2, 2017
Posted in: Charleston, Volvo Car Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

American Roundup at @VolvoCarOpen: Day’s Wild Card, Kenin’s Big Win & A Cooler, Confident Lauren Davis
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

The Americans are always here en masse in Charleston. After all, it’s America.

17-year-old Kayla Day picked her own first round opponent yesterday out of the draw bucket: fellow American Alison Riske. What did she think about a WC to a place like no other?

“It means so much,” she told me.  “It’s such a great tournament and such a high-level tournament and I’m pretty excited. The fans seem really involved and excited and that’s really cool to have such a good tennis crowd.”

As for picking Riske:  “I was the last to be chosen (for the draw) so I picked the last chip. She’s one of the great American players and she’s playing so well this year. I’m definitely excited to play her.” I guess she’s not superstitious yet.

Last summer, Lauren Davis was in the 50s but told me she expected top 20 by the end of the year. She’s halfway there now, but I sense a sea change of attitude as I watch her at ease doing media events. I had a sense that this is a cooler, more open side of Lauren Davis as she finds her way to the top.

“I’m focused on being more of a whole person rather than just a tennis player,” she told me yesterday. “There’s so much more to me than just the tennis side of things. I’ve gotten into some other hobbies and other interests in order to be more than just a tennis player. It’s really translated onto the court.”

Those hobbies include surfing, gymnastics, snorkeling and fishing.

Her faith helps her keep everything in perspective.

“Last year this time, I was in a tough spot and God opened my eyes to see how blessed I am in order to be able to do what I love every single day,” she said. “I’m blessed with some great gifts and my duty is to make the most of them and enjoy them.”

Finally, Sofia Kenin surprised some with an upset over top qualifying seed Taylor Townsend on Althea Gibson Court. “I played really well,” she said after the win. “I know she’s a great player. I had to battle out there. I’m so happy I won. I love this crowd, I love this court and I love everything here. I couldn’t be happier with my game. I’ve been practicing really hard so I’m happy it’s paying off now.”

Kenin gets her favorite court again today, this time against Fiona Ferro for a spot in the main draw.

 

Qualifiers Battle Heat and Each Other @ConnecticutOpen on Saturday; Sunday OOP

Posted by Admin on August 20, 2016
Posted in: Connecticut Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Qualifiers Battle Heat and Each Other at Connecticut Open on Saturday
Haley Hunt for Tennis Atlantic

Embed from Getty Images
New Haven, CT, August 20, 2016–Day 2 of qualifying featured the remaining 6 seeds and extreme temperatures. In a day packed with upsets and drama, only 2 of the seeded players and 3 of the Americans (Louisa Chirico, Kayla Day, Nicole Gibbs) triumphed in their matches (Annika Beck: #2, Anastasjia Sevastova: #5).

Annika Beck edges Danielle Collins: 7-5, 7-5

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Annika Beck prepares to return a serve (Photo: Haley Hunt)

Beck was nothing short of consistent when she arrived on court to face wild card Danielle Collins of UVA, who upset Stefanie Voegele the day before. Though the match was separated by just two breaks of serve, Beck proved to be the steadier player throughout. She won 81% of her first serve points, while Collins earned 60%. Collins’ negative display—including one particularly sarcastic remark to herself, “I’m so good at tennis after she committed an unforced error”—did not help her to combat the determined German, who took advantage of the American’s frustration to win the match in just under two hours.

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Danielle Collins (Photo: Haley Hunt)

 

Kayla Day outlasts Kirsten Flipkens: 3-6, 6-4, 6-1

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Kayla Day hits a backhand (Photo: Haley Hunt)

Arguably one of the most exciting matches of the day, 16- year-old Day had nothing to lose when she came face-to-face with the world #60. A quick first set—in which she struggled to present a serious threat—left her more determined to match Flipkens’ pace. The players stayed on serve for the majority of the second set, until Day sought a medical timeout at 4-4. Flipkens appeared to ease off on the intensity, giving Day the opportunity she needed to string together several incredible shots and seal the set, 6-4. The following and final set was nothing short of grueling: Day fought through what appeared to be a shoulder injury—receiving visits from the medic during changeovers—while Flipkens struggled to contain her frustration over her diminished consistency. Ultimately, it was Day, the home crowd favorite, fearless and firing, that pulled off the upset, and won the match—on an ace!

Johanna Larsson scorches Varvara Lepchenko: 6-3, 7-5

A match that was controlled primarily by Larsson became increasingly more even in the second set; both players took turns emoting their exhaustion. The winner of the second set would be the player who could maintain her composure and her consistency. However, the match took a turn at 3-6, 5-5 when Lepchenko’s request to change her clothes was declined by the chair umpire. After roughly ten minutes of conversation with the supervisor, the umpire elected to give Lepchenko a code violation, a controversial call indeed, leaving Larsson and her team extremely frustrated. “She was aware of the situation. She knew what would happen if she left the court, and she still did it,” Larsson told the umpire, hopeful that the American would be defaulted from the match. The world #67 was, however, able to gather herself enough to capture the next two games, and propel herself into the next round.

Tomorrow, the final 12 women that remain will compete for the 9 available spots in the main draw.

CT Open – Printable OOP –  Sunday, August 21

CONNECTICUT OPEN PRESENTED BY UNITED TECHNOLOGIES – NEW HAVEN, USA
$761,000
21-27 AUGUST 2016

RESULTS – AUGUST 20, 2016

Women’s
Qualifying Singles – Second Round
Qualifying – [2] A. Beck (GER) d [WC] D. Collins (USA) 75 75
Qualifying – [5] A. Sevastova (LAT) d L. Arruabarrena (ESP) 36 64 61
Qualifying – J. Larsson (SWE) d [7] V. Lepchenko (USA) 63 75
Qualifying – M. Sakkari (GRE) d [8] M. Lucic-Baroni (CRO) 63 64
Qualifying – [WC] K. Day (USA) d [10] K. Flipkens (BEL) 36 64 61
Qualifying – N. Gibbs (USA) d [11] K. Bondarenko (UKR) 31 Retired
Qualifying – [Alt] E. Rodina (RUS) d C. Witthoeft (GER) 63 64
Qualifying – A. Kontaveit (EST) d K. Kozlova (UKR) 62 67(2) 64
Qualifying – L. Tsurenko (UKR) d C. Buyukakcay (TUR) 63 62
Qualifying – L. Chirico (USA) d S. Cirstea (ROU) 64 64
Qualifying – C. Giorgi (ITA) d M. Barthel (GER) 62 62
Qualifying – A. Konjuh (CRO) d N. Hibino (JPN) 36 64 61

 

 

ORDER OF PLAY – SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016
STADIUM start 12:00 noon
[WC] S. Rogers (USA) vs K. Mladenovic (FRA)
S. Errani (ITA) vs E. Makarova (RUS)
[10] E. Svitolina (UKR) vs D. Kasatkina (RUS)
C. Garcia (FRA) vs I. Begu (ROU)

GRANDSTAND start 11:00 am
Qualifying – [Alt] E. Rodina (RUS) vs N. Gibbs (USA)
Qualifying – L. Tsurenko (UKR) vs L. Chirico (USA)
M. Irigoyen (ARG) / O. Kalashnikova (GEO) vs [3] A. Klepac (SLO) / K. Srebotnik (SLO)
G. Dabrowski (CAN) / M. Martínez Sánchez (ESP) vs K. Bertens (NED) / J. Larsson (SWE)

COURT 1 start 11:00 am
Qualifying – [2] A. Beck (GER) vs A. Kontaveit (EST)
Qualifying – C. Giorgi (ITA) vs M. Sakkari (GRE)

COURT 2 start 11:00 am
Qualifying – [5] A. Sevastova (LAT) vs [WC] K. Day (USA)
Qualifying – A. Konjuh (CRO) vs J. Larsson (SWE)