Week 39 - WTA500 - WTA500 Tokyo, Japan Hard

Peter too · Tennis legend

Week 39 - WTA500 - WTA500 Tokyo, Japan Hard

DF · Tennis legend

Harriet won in three 4-6 6-1 6-3

Peter too · Tennis legend

Q1: DART, Harriet (GBR) (3) 155 def ISHII, Sayaka (JPN) 617 4-6 6-1 6-3

Q2: DART, Harriet (GBR) (3) 155 (CH=84 2022) v KALASHNIKOVA, Oksana (GEO) UNR (CH=156 2010)

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

That was closer than expected. Good chance to qualify now.

SuperT · Futures level

Can anyone explain to me who Kalashnikova is and how she got into the draw without a ranking? I see she also got a WC into Guadalajara qualies so I guess she must have some sort of pedigree?

the addict · Tennis legend

Kalashnikova is 33 years old, and is really just a doubles player. She is at a career high of 42 in doubles and has won 34 titles, but just 3 at international level (Prague WTA250 this year) and 3 at WTA125 level. She reached the QF at Wimbledonthis year. She did indeed get a WC into qualifying.

-- Edited by the addict on Saturday 23rd of September 2023 10:21:07 AM

Peter too · Tennis legend

SuperT wrote:
Can anyone explain to me who Kalashnikova is and how she got into the draw without a ranking? I see she also got a WC into Guadalajara qualies so I guess she must have some sort of pedigree?

She is better at doubles than singles having recently reached 42 in the rankings.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Only players ranked inside the top 500 can enter WTA500 events. At sign-in, if there are gaps in qualies players like Kalashnikova can fill the slots as on-site alternates as they are Full Members of the WTA by virtue of their doubles rankings/performances, and don't need to be given a wild card.

Non-top 500 singles players and anyone who is only an 'Associate' WTA member can only play an event like Tokyo if they get a wildcard. So that's why you end up with draws like this being full of 'top' doubles players rather than girls ranked 600-900 in singles who have taken a punt on turning up.

SuperT · Futures level

PaulM wrote:
Only players ranked inside the top 500 can enter WTA500 events. At sign-in, if there are gaps in qualies players like Kalashnikova can fill the slots as on-site alternates as they are Full Members of the WTA by virtue of their doubles rankings/performances, and don't need to be given a wild card.

Non-top 500 singles players and anyone who is only an 'Associate' WTA member can only play an event like Tokyo if they get a wildcard. So that's why you end up with draws like this being full of 'top' doubles players rather than girls ranked 600-900 in singles who have taken a punt on turning up.

Thanks Paul, but gosh I had no idea about any of this. What are the criteria for qualifying as a "Full Member" of the WTA? Is it just top 500 players or does anyone who has been there in the past qualify too? Or is it more complicated than that?

the addict · Tennis legend

As well as Kalashnikova, Harriet's first round opponent Ishii had a QWC and also Bibiane Schoofs - another doubles player.

PaulM · Tennis legend

It's a bit more complicated, see Rule XI of the WTA Rulebook

www.wtatennis.com/wta-rules

SuperT · Futures level

Another decent win for Harriet to qualify here. 6-0 6-4

the addict · Tennis legend

I hadn't realised it before but Harriet is actually partnering Oksana in the doubles.

L16:- Harriet Dart (GBR) / Oksana Kalashnikova (GEO) CR193 (151+42) v Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) / Ellen Perez (AUS) CR41 (19+22) (4)

Peter too · Tennis legend

Q2: DART, Harriet (GBR) (3) 155 def KALASHNIKOVA, Oksana (GEO) UNR 6-0 6-4

R1: DART, Harriet (GBR) Q 155 (CH=84 2022) v KUDERMETOVA, Veronika ( ) (8) 19 (CH=9 2022)
They have played three times before with Veronika winning in two on all three occasions.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Given the slots available for the Q places, that's a bit of a shame. But you never know!

-- Edited by PaulM on Sunday 24th of September 2023 07:46:46 AM