Lorraine Guillermo

Play continued Thursday, with the tournament moving indoors. The round of 16 brought many anticipated match ups and they did not disappoint. Five seeds remained as the day began, and four will move on. Top seeded Caitlin Whoriskey was tested early and often by the 17-year-old Ellie Douglas. Caitlin and Ellie split the first two sets 6-3. But Whoriskey ultimately pulled ahead with a break of serve in the third set. She would go on to win the final set 6-3. Whoriskey will play qualifier Lorraine Guillermo Friday. Guillermo took down sixth seeded Alexandra Morozova. After dropping a close first set (6-4), Guillermo responded by taking the second and third sets 6-1, and 6-2 respectively.

Caty McNally, who has won five straight matches – including qualifying, beat Syracuse alumna Madeleine Kobelt in straight sets. McNally will play fellow American Ann Li. In a very anticipated matchup of Grand Slam finalists, Li ousted Whitney Osuigwe. The first set between the two teenagers came down to just a few points. The first set ended in a tiebreak, 7-4, favoring Li. Li took the tiebreak momentum into the second set and never looked back, winning 6-1 in the following set.

Kennedy Shaffer needed three sets to beat qualifier Abigail Desiatnikov 3-6, 6-2, 6-0. The defending Women’s Hospital Classic champion will face fifth seeded Allie Kiick in the quarterfinals.

Marcela Zacarias

The remaining quarterfinals matchup will feature two fellow country woman (Mexico), Sebastiani Leon and Marcela Zacarias. Zacarias played Sara Daavettila in the round of 16. Daavettila had previously earned two consecutive wild cards to play the Women’s Hospital Classic in the past.

Sunday’s July 23 – SCHEDULE

Court 9 – starting at 9 a.m.
Ann Li vs Caty McNally
Caitlin Whoriskey vs Loraine Guillermo
Garcia / Proctor vs Devidze/ Morra

Court 12 – starting at 9 a.m.
Allie Kiick vs Kennedy Shaffer
Sebastiani Leon vs Marcela Zacarias
Guillermo / Kobelt vs Morozova vs Nemtsova

As those women filled out the main draw, some main draw matches already began. Allie Kiick, seeded fifth, defeated fellow American Stephanie Nemtsova 6-0, 6-1. Kennedy Shaffer was in dominate form as she beat Anastasia Nefedova 6-1, 6-2. Shaffer will play the winner of tomorrow’s match between McKenzie Myers and Abigail Desiatnikov.

Top seeded Caitlin Whoriskey downed former Grand Slam champion Alona Bondarenko. Whoriskey managed to convert five of her thirteen break points. Whoriskey also won 82% of her first serve points which helped lead the way to a first round victory 7-5, 6-1.

Main draw play continues on Wednesday with both local wildcard recipients scheduled to play. Dalayna Hewitt, who earned the wild card in June by winning the local Woodie Championship (City Championships) is scheduled to play Alexandra Morozova. Hewitt returns back to Evansville after winning both singles and doubles in a junior ITF event. Her opponent has won two career doubles titles on the Pro Circuit.

McKenzie Myers will also be featured on Wednesday. Myers, who trains at Tri-State Athletic Club, was given a local wild card into the main draw. This is the third straight year in which Myers has received or earned a local wild card. In 2015, Myers earned the local main draw wild card by winning the wild card tournament hosted by the Evansville Community Tennis Association. Last year, Myers and Addison Brown were given a local wild card to play in the main draw of doubles. Due to a scheduling conflict Myers was unable to play in the singles qualifying draw. Myers will attend Miami (OH) University next fall. She represented Memorial High School at the IHSAA state finals this year. She was the first Memorial player to reach the state finals since Macie Elliott won the title in 2010-2011. Myers will play Abigail Desiatnikov. They are the third match scheduled on Court 9.

Wednesday will also feature a terrific match-up of two incredibly talented girls. Alexa Graham, who just completed her first season at the University of North Carolina, where she received ALL-ACC honors and was named to the All-ACC Academic Team. She holds two USTA Pro Circuit and ITF Pro Circuit singles titles ($10,00 Hilton Head Island, S.C. in 2015, and $15,000 Victoria, Canada, in 2017). Her opponent Ann Li, received a wild card to play in this years event. Li reached this year’s Wimbledon junior final, facing Claire Liu in the second ever all-American girls final at Wimbledon, dating back to 1947. She has reached a career high ranking of no. 14 in the ITF World Junior Rankings. She has committed to play at Louisiana State University. In their last matchup Graham defeated Li 7-5, 6-4.

Wednesday, July 26 – SCHEDULE
Court 1 – starting at 9 a.m.
Ellie Douglas vs Peyton Stearns
Katerina Stewart vs Whitney Osuigwe
Garcia/ Proctor vs Bondarenko/ Nefedova
Derienzo / Raszkiewicz vs Kiick / Stewart
Court 7 – starting at 9 a.m.
Jada Robinson vs Taylor Johnson
Dalayna Hewitt vs Alexandra Morozova
Kolie Allen vs Cassie Mercer
Abrams/Song vs Morozova vs Nemtsova
Court 9 – starting at 9 a.m.
Cameron Morra vs Marcela Zacarias
Alexa Graham vs Ann Li
Makenzie Myers vs Abigail Desiatnikov
Daavettila / Graham vs Stearns / Tona
Court 12 – starting at 9 a.m.
Lorraine M. Guillermo vs Anika Yarlagadda
Caty McNally vs Jaeda Daniel
Guillermo / Kobelt vs Leon / Petrick
Douglas / Johnson vs Shaffer / Zacarias

Monday’s schedule will feature a mix of qualifying and main draw matches. Caitlin Whoriskey, 2014 finalist, is scheduled to play Alona Bondarenko of the Ukraine on Stadium Court, not before 11:00 am.. Top seeded Whoriskey competed in the doubles draw at Wimbledon thus year and is currently ranked inside the top 125 in women’s doubles. The former University of Tennessee standout, was named the 2010 College Senior Player of the Year after leading the Volunteers to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Last year’s champion, Kennedy Shaffer returns to Evansville to defend her title. She is entering her senior year at the University of Georgia where she received All-America honors in doubles this past season. She also received All-America honors in singles in her sophomore season. Shaffer is scheduled to play on Court 1, not before 11:00am.

Playing just her fourth tournament since July 2015, Allie Kiick makes her Evansville debut. Kiick has missed time with four knee surgeries and after being diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer. She peaked at world number 136 in 2014, and looks to get back into form this week. As a junior she was a singles finalist at the 2013 USTA Girls’ 18s National Championships.

Sunday’s July 23 – SCHEDULE

Court 1 – starting at 9 a.m.
Elysia Bolton vs Peyton Stearns
Kollie Allen vs Madison Appel
Anastasia Nefedova vs Kennedy Shaffer
Boyd/Iyer vs Daniel/Parks

Court 7 – starting at 9 a.m.
Lorraine M. Guillermo vs Csilla Fodor
Olivia Hauger vs Cassie Mercer
Mirana Tona vs Sebastiani Leon
Audrey Marquard vs Madeleine Kobelt

Court 9 (Stadium Court) – starting at 9 a.m.
Lauren Proctor vs Katerina Stewart
Salome Devidze vs Caty McNally
Caitlin Whoriskey vs Alona Bondarenko
Sara Daavetilla vs Magdalena Ekert

Court 12 – starting at 9 a.m.
Abigail Desiatnikov vs Kathleen Derienzo
Jada Robinson vs Meghan Kelley
Allie Kiick vs Stephanie Nemtsova
Fisch/Meyer vs Devidze/Morra

 

Caitlin Whoriskey almost returned to the United States after losing her doubles qualifying match for Wimbledon.

She had been in Great Britain for roughly a month playing other tournaments and wanted to take some time off before this week’s Women’s Hospital Classic at Wesselman Park.

But she and her partner decided to stay a few more days in London. A tournament supervisor eventually called them with news they made the main draw as the third and final Lucky Losers. They were told they were on-deck to play after a men’s match, which was already two sets to none.

“We were in a panic for a few minutes,” Whoriskey said. “But we got our heads straight, came up with a game plan and had fun because for me it was my first time playing there.”

Whoriskey and her partner, Ashley Weinhold, lost in two sets, but they made the right decision to stay around. Not every tennis player gets a chance to play the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.

“The moment I stepped into the venue I was in awe,” Whoriskey said. “The tradition and the history that comes with it, it was a beautiful place. To be on the grounds was incredible.”

She will be the top-seeded singles player in the Women’s Hospital Classic main draw when play begins Tuesday. Qualifying is underway Sunday and Monday.

Still, her singles ranking is 368th compared to being 119th in doubles. She hasn’t played singles since late May because she got on a roll with doubles and wanted it to keep going until Wimbledon.

Whoriskey thought returning to Evansville would be good fit considering she finished as the runner-up the other time she played in 2014.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity to see what I can do and hopefully make the best of it like I did last time,” Whoriskey said. “Hopefully I can top that if I play well.”

Last year’s winner Kennedy Shaffer is returning to defend her title. Also in the main draw is 15-year-old Whitney Osuigwe, who is the top-ranked junior in the world.

Former Memorial High School standout Makenzie Myers was granted a wildcard for the second time before she heads to Miami University for her freshman year.

This is the 19th year Wesselman Park is hosting the USTA Women’s Pro Circuit event and the payout is larger than ever. The total purse is $15,000 compared previously being $10,000 in order to promote and provide financial support to the young and aspiring players.

There’s always a mix of players ranging from professionals like Whoriskey to juniors seeking their first few points.

“It’s a pretty decent level tournament,” Whoriskey said. “One girl has been top 200 but has had a lot of injuries lately and is looking to come back, and there are a lot of good college players who have done well in the NCAA tournament.”

If all goes to plan and she can stay healthy, playing singles more often will improve her ranking to a point where she can play qualifiers for grand slams. If not, she’ll go back to doubles.

Whoriskey is in Evansville for her first tournament since Wimbledon, and she’s optimistic she’ll leave just as satisfied.

“It’s going to be hot so hopefully everyone stays healthy and it’s a good tournament for everyone to come out and watch,” she said.