By McCarton Ackerman
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif., February 13, 2013 – The third edition of the Fresh Start Women’s Open at the Morgan Run Club continued on Wednesday with all remaining first round singles and doubles matches being played. Three seeded players were upset in their first round matches, but No. 1 seed Irena Pavlovic of France survived a nearly four-hour test to advance into the second round.
In the best result of the day among American women, Jennifer Elie recorded her first win of 2013 in dramatic fashion by upsetting No. 5 seed Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia 6-3, 7-6 (5). Kudryavtseva is best known for defeating Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2008.
“I lost in the first round of all three events I’ve played this year, so I really wanted that one,” said Elie. “I knew I was going to have fight for every point and she wasn’t going to give it away, so I just tried to focus on that.”
The 26-year-old Elie is currently ranked at a career high of No. 305 on the WTA Tour. Her 2012 season included qualifying for the WTA event in Washington, D.C. and reaching the quarterfinals at the $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Denver, Colo. She also reached the semifinals of a $25,000 challenger in Bundaberg, Australia and won two consecutive $10,000 futures event in Caracas, Venezuela.
But after a rigorous off-season, the NYC native believes she has the ability to take her game into the top 200 and beyond.
“I changed my forehand and footwork a little bit, so I’m just getting used to moving and hitting the ball differently,” she said. “It makes me a little nervous at times because I’m not 100 percent used to doing it in match play, but it’s starting to come together.”
In the match of the day, No. 1 seed Irena Pavlovic of France survived a marathon against Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in prevailng 6-7 (1), 7-5, 7-6 (3). Pavlovic served for the opening set at 6-5, but lost 10 consecutive points on her way to dropping that initial set. She also served for the match at 5-4 in the third set, but fought off six break points on her second attempt at 6-5 to ultimately take the match. The world No. 182 won her first main draw Grand Slam match at last year’s French Open.
In other matches, No. 7 seed Madison Brengle of the US regrouped after a slow start in her second set to defeat Yi-Fan Xu of China 6-2, 7-5. San Diego teenager Christina Makarova, a wild card into the event, rallied from 1-6, 0-3 down to advance past Samantha Murray of Great Britain 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1).
In addition to Kudryavtseva, No. 3 seed Julie Coin was also upset by qualifier Tatyana Arefyeva of Belarus, while No. 8 seed Ana Vrljic of Croatia fell to Elitsa Kostova of Bulgaria. Two matches had yet to be completed as of press time; No. 4 seed Jill Craybas of the US against fellow American Chieh-Yu Hsu in a first round singles match, and a first round doubles match featuring Samantha Murray of Great Britain and Lenka Wienerova of Slovakia against the American team of Louisa Chirico and Elizabeth Lumpkin.
All second round singles and quarterfinal doubles matches will take place during Thursday’s schedule of play. The feature match of the day will see No. 2 seed and current NCAA women’s singles champion Nicole Gibbs take on Mayo Hibi of Japan.
Fresh Start Women’s Open
A USTA Pro Circuit Event
Wednesday, February 13
Morgan Run Club
Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Purse: $25,000
Surface: Hard-Outdoor
Wednesday, February 13 – RESULTS
Main Draw Singles – 1st Round
Irena Pavlovic, France (1), def. Danka Kovinic, Montenegro, 6-7 (1), 7-5, 7-6 (3)
Tetyana Arefyeva, Ukraine (Q), def. Julie Coin, France (3), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5)
Jennifer Elie, United States, def. Alla Kudryavtseva, Russia (5), 6-3, 7-6
Madison Brengle, United States (6), def. Yi-Fan Xu, China, 6-2, 7-5
Elitsa Kostova, Bulgaria, def. Ana Vrljic, Croatia (8), 6-3, 6-0
Christina Makarova, United States (WC), def. Samantha Murray, Great Britain, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1)
Sanaz Marand, United States (Q), def. Jennifer Brady, United States (Q), 0-6, 6-2, 6-3
Mayo Hibi, Japan (Q), def. Asia Muhammed, United States (Q), 6-3, 6-2
Katerina Vankova, Czech Republic (Q), def. Louisa Chirico, United States (WC), 6-0, 6-2
Katerina Kramperova, Czech Republic (Q), def. Elizabeth Lumpkin, United States (WC), 6-1, 6-0
Tara Moore, Great Britain, def. Lisa Whybourn, Great Britain, 6-1, 6-1
Alize Lim, France, def. Viktoriya Tomova, Bulgaria (Q), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
Sachie Ishizu, Japan, def. Petra Rampre, Slovenia, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-2
Main Draw Doubles – 1st Round
Madison Brengle, United States, and Elitsa Kostova, Bulgaria, def. Maria-Fernanda Alvarez Teran, and Angelina Gabueva, Russia, 6-1, 6-3
Asia Muhammed and Allie Will, United States (4), def. Irina Khromacheva, Russia, and Irena Pavlovic, France, 7-5, 4-6, 10-2
Thursday’s February 14 – SCHEDULE
Court 1 – starting at 9:30 a.m.
Alize Lim vs. Madison Brengle, followed by Jill Craybas or Chieh-Yu Hsu vs. Sanaz Marand, followed by Mayo Hibi vs. Nicole Gibbs, followed by Jill Craybas/Ana Vrljic vs. Tara Moore/Melanie South
Court 3 – starting at 9:30 a.m.
Irina Khromacheva vs. Sachie Ishizu, followed by Christina Makarova vs. Elitsa Kostova, followed by Katerina Kramperova vs. Tetyana Arefyeva, followed by Madison Brengle/Elitsa Kostova vs. Asia Muhammed/Allie Will
Court 8 – starting at 9:30 a.m
Jennifer Elie vs. Katerina Vankova, followed by Irena Pavlovic vs. Tara Moore, followed by Anamika Bhargava/Macall Harkins vs. Jennifer Elie/Sally Peers, followed by Miki Miyamura/Yi-Fan Xu vs. Louisa Chirico/Elizabeth Lumpkin or Samantha Murray/Lenka Wienerova
