WTA PRAGUE – The WTA 250 event started on the clay in Prague’s Stromovka with the qualification. The highlight was the participation of former world number five and Grand Slam finalist Lucie Šafářová (37), but she also lost her second singles match during her short-lived comeback. Of the six Czech hopefuls, only Jesika Malečková (29) made it past the first round, and she only entered the game as a substitute.
Šafářová – Sobolevová 6:4, 4:6, 3:6
Former world number five Lucie Šafářová decided to make a short-term comeback primarily because of the desire to complete a few tournaments in front of her children Leontýnka (4) and Oliver (2). After the mandatory half-year period in the anti-doping program, she signed up for three events at home, but is still waiting for a win.
She lost two matches in doubles at the ITF tournaments in Olomouc and Staré Splavy with her niece Anna Dvořáčeková and suffered two three-set defeats in singles. After a setback at Mách’s Lake, she did not find a way to victory even in Prague’s Stromovka.
The 37-year-old Czech got a wild card into the WTA 250 tournament and got off to a good start against Anastasia Soboleva. At 6:4 and 2:1, however, she lost serve for the first time, the game was even and the duel had to be decided in the third act.
The combative Šafářová did not confirm the break at 2:1 again, she lost four games in a row and never returned to the game. Although she eliminated two match points during her service, she did not prevent elimination on the return. She lost to the Ukrainian tennis player from the third world ranking 6:4, 4:6, 3:6.
Lucie Šafářová loses in 3 sets against Anastasiya Soboleva in the WTA 250 Prague. (6-4, 4-6, 3-6) This was Šafářová’s only 3’d singles match since 2018. Had a great start in set 1 but couldn’t hold up physically towards the end of the match. Good to see her back pic.twitter.com/CeuXxAdc3p
— edgeAI (@edgeaiofficial) July 20, 2024
She will have the last chance to win at least one match during her short comeback in the doubles match with the American Bethania Matteková-Sands, with whom she won five Grand Slam titles. In the first round, the second seeded Japanese couple Šuko Aoyama and Ena Šibahar will challenge.
The finalist of Roland Garros 2015 already played once last October, when after a four-year break she beat home Yaroslava Bartashevich in Reims, France. However, the ITF subsequently announced to Šafářová that she did not meet the complete conditions for returning to professional tennis, and the Olympic bronze medalist in doubles from Rio de Janeiro 2016 had to withdraw from the tournament.
Malečková – Spiteriová 7:5, 6:2
Sobolevová will face another Czech Jesika Malečková for advancement to the main competition, who was the only one of the six domestic representatives to make it through the first round.
The 29-year-old Malečková, who will play in the main women’s doubles competition with Miriam Kolodziejová, only made it to the qualifying round as a substitute on Saturday morning and managed her opening duel with Dalila Spiteriová. She beat the Italian 7:5, 6:2.
Perrinová – Martincová 6:0, 7:5
Tereza Martincová’s opponent changed a few hours before the start of the match and she was unable to assert herself against the substitute. The finalist from 2021 and last year’s quarterfinalist did not win a game in the first set against Conny Perrin, in the second she did not maintain a 5:2 lead, did not convert a set point and lost to the Swiss 0:6, 5:7.
Barthelová – Kovačková 6:3, 6:0
Alena Kovačková did not surprise at the premiere in the qualification of the WTA tournament. The 16-year-old Czech junior was not enough for the 2017 champion Mona Barthel from Germany, she easily lost to the former 23rd player in the world 3:6, 0:6.
Ticháčková – Deichmannová 7:6, 2:6, 6:7
Eliška Ticháčková enjoyed her debut in the qualification of the WTA tournament significantly longer, but even she did not find a way to victory. The inexperienced 17-year-old Czech lost to her 13-year-old opponent Kathinka Von Deichmann from Liechtenstein, also due to ten lost serves 7:6, 2:6, 6:7.
Zavacka – Šmejkalová 6:1, 6:4
Amelie Šmejkalová qualified for the WTA tournament for the second time in Prague, but again she did not even play a set. This year, the nineteen-year-old Czech was not enough against Ukrainian Katarina Zavacka and lost 1:6, 4:6.
Livesport Prague Open qualification results
Article originally published for Livesport News.
2024-07-20 15:04:00
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