Smiling Sakkari takes residence long-awaited title

The Insider Wrap is a recap of every little thing it is advisable know from the week that was. Final week, Maria Sakkari boosted her championship credentials and Caroline Dolehide made a singles breakthrough in Guadalajara, and Wang Xiyu prevailed in her residence nation at Guangzhou.

Efficiency of the Week: Maria Sakkari

One month in the past, Prime 10 participant Maria Sakkari left the US Open after a 3rd straight first-round loss at a Grand Slam occasion, with ideas of probably taking a hiatus from tour swirling in her head.

However in tennis, an entire turnaround in fortunes might be only one event away, and Sakkari proved that on the Guadalajara Open AKRON.

Champions Nook: How Sakkari rode wave of assist to Guadalajara win

Decided to smile by means of an occasion the place she completed as runner-up final yr, Sakkari went one higher in 2023 and received her first Hologic WTA Tour singles title in over 4 years.

Having misplaced her final six finals, Sakkari returned to the winner’s circle and picked up her second profession singles title, at a WTA 1000 occasion as well. The primary Greek to win a WTA 1000 title, Sakkari did not drop a set all week as her optimistic perspective paid off. 

“I’m simply actually grateful,” Sakkari mentioned, “that I may overcome all my fears, all my obstacles this week right here in Guadalajara, and simply go away with the trophy.”

Breakthrough of the Week: Caroline Dolehide

Along with her highly effective recreation and a very good doubles profession already in full swing, there have been indicators that Caroline Dolehide was on the point of a singles surge. In truth, Dolehide cracked the singles Prime 100 for the primary time earlier this yr — nevertheless, she had not notched a tour-level singles win since April.

After seasons of laborious work, the 25-year-old broke by means of in an enormous manner this week. With solely two tour-level quarterfinals on her resume coming into Guadalajara, Dolehide reached her first WTA singles last on the WTA 1000 occasion in Mexico.

Dolehide received 5 consecutive tour-level matches for the primary time in her profession, together with a barnburner quarterfinal in opposition to Martina Trevisan the place she saved 4 match factors. Holding a career-high rating of No.99 in the beginning of the week, Dolehide will now discover herself contained in the Prime 50.

“Final week, [my coach and I] have been speaking and we have been on courtroom practising,” Dolehide mentioned after the ultimate. “I used to be feeling some photographs, and we fastened a couple of issues, and I used to be like, ‘Jorge, I’m able to do one thing massive.’ And one week later, that is the place I’m. So it’s humorous how issues work out.”

Honor Roll

Wang Xiyu: The left-handed 22-year-old from China picked up her first WTA singles title, prevailing on residence soil over prime seed Magda Linette to win the Galaxy Holding Group Guangzhou Open. Wang, the 2018 Junior US Open champion and former Junior World No.1, has now began her trophy assortment at WTA-level.

Sofia Kenin: The 2020 Australian Open champion and former World No.4 continued a robust summer season run by reaching the Guadalajara semifinals. Kenin has gone 14-4 in her final 4 occasions and is edging nearer to a return to the Prime 30.

Caroline Garcia: One other former World No.4, Garcia posted her deepest event run in half a yr by making the Guadalajara semifinals. It was her first journey to the ultimate 4 of an occasion since she reached the Monterrey last in March.

Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens: The No.1 seeds claimed the Guadalajara doubles championship on Saturday for his or her second crew title. Each of their titles as a duo have come at WTA 1000 occasions this yr — additionally they prevailed on the clay courts of Rome this spring.

Ana Bogdan: The Romanian No.3 captured her second WTA 125 title of the season by toppling prime seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova within the Parma last. Bogdan is 3-0 in her final three WTA 125 finals.

Emiliana Arango: The 22-year-old Colombian, ranked No.180, posted a career-best consequence at a WTA 1000 occasion by storming to the quarterfinals, defeating Anastasia Potapova, Sloane Stephens and Taylor Townsend en route.

Learn extra: 5 issues to find out about Colombia’s Emiliana Arango

WTA Finals qualifiers: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and the doubles crew of Gauff/Pegula are the primary gamers to clinch spots on the year-ending championships in Cancun, Mexico.

Picture of the Week

Jelena Ostapenko typically even surprises herself along with her riveting play.

For instance, you possibly can see a bevy of beautiful Ostapenko winners from her second-round victory in Guadalajara right here.

Notable Numbers 

1: Maria Sakkari is the primary participant in 2023 to win a WTA 1000 occasion with out the lack of a set. She can also be the primary to attain that feat on laborious courtroom since Iga Swiatek received Miami with out dropping a set in March of 2022.

111: World No.111 Caroline Dolehide is just the second participant ranked exterior the Prime 100 to achieve a WTA 1000 last since that event tier began in 2009. The opposite is two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who made the 2019 Cincinnati last ranked No.153.

25: Victoria Azarenka reached the twenty fifth WTA 1000 hard-court quarterfinal of her profession in Guadalajara. She is just the fifth participant to make 25 WTA 1000 hard-court quarterfinals since 2009, together with Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki, Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep.

35: Caroline Garcia served 35 aces at this yr’s Guadalajara Open AKRON. Garcia is one among solely three gamers to serve 35 or extra aces at a WTA 1000 occasion in 2023, together with Elena Rybakina (at each Indian Wells and Miami) and Petra Kvitova (in Miami).

Subsequent Up

The Hologic WTA Tour’s Asian swing boasts two occasions this week. The Toray Pan Pacific Open will happen in Tokyo, Japan, with Prime 5 gamers Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina main the WTA 500 area. Guadalajara champion Maria Sakkari can even function within the Tokyo draw.

Tokyo 2023: Attracts, dates, prize cash and every little thing it is advisable know

Additionally being contested is the Ningbo Open in Ningbo, China. Ons Jabeur and Petra Kvitova are the highest two seeds on the WTA 250 occasion.