LAS VEGAS, Nev., (Sept. 27, 2011) – There’s something about Las Vegas that enables Maria Sanchez to play her best tennis.
The former USC All-American from Modesto, Calif., who turned professional in June following four years as a Trojan, won her first-round match in singles and doubles on Tuesday at the third annual Lexus of Las Vegas Open, a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event, taking place at the Red Rock Country Club in Summerlin.
Sanchez, who was granted a wild card into the event, said she has survived a “rough” summer and that her game is finally coming together after her 6-1, 7-5 win over Monica Puig of Puerto Rico, 6-1, 7-5.
In 2010, Sanchez and partner Irina Falconi made the finals of the doubles, as tournament wild cards.
“I like it here,” Sanchez said of the Red Rock Club and Las Vegas. “It’s a great tournament. These guys (co-tournament directors Jordan Butler and Tyler Weekes) put on a great tournament. They make everyone feel comfortable.”
She added, “I felt like it went well in both singles and doubles today. I had never played Monica in singles but I stayed calm and got off to a quick start and that helped. Then, it got close in the second set and I hung tough. I was happy with the way everything went.”
Later in the day, Sanchez teamed with former UCLA star Yasmin Schnack to upset the No. 2 seeded doubles team of Irena Pavlovic (France) and Kathrin Woerle (Germany), 6-4 6-3.
Also winning first-round main-draw singles matches on Tuesday were defending champion Varvara Lepchenko, the No. 3 seeded player, No. 8 seeded American Jamie Hampton, and USTA wild-card entry (and NCAA team champion) Allie Will from the University of Florida.
On Wednesday, 2009 US Open quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin will open up play with a first-round singles match against Sessil Karatantcheva of Kazakhstan on Stadium Court beginning at 9:30 a.m. Following Oudin, local Las Vegas resident Asia Muhammad squares off against No. 2 seed Anna Tatishvili.
In doubles on Tuesday, Muhammad teamed with Alexandra Mueller but the pair fell to No. 3 seeded Alexa Glatch and Mashona Washington, 6-4, 6-1. Ironically, Muhammad and Glatch won last weekend’s $75,000 Pro Circuit doubles event in New Mexico.
In the final round of qualifying, 17-year-old American Krista Hardebeck defeated fellow American Shelby Rogers to earn a place in the main draw. Hardebeck won three rounds over the last three days to qualify. She will face No. 4 seed Mirjana Lucic, a former Wimbledon semifinalist, tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.
Follow on Twitter for live results at @lvprocircuit. Also, visit the tournament website at: www.lexuslvopen.com.
Tuesday’s Singles Scores
(Final-round Qualifying)
Ying-Ying Duan (China) def. Amra Sadikovic (Switzerland), 6-3, 7-5
Vasilisa Bardina (Russia) def. Alexandra Stevenson (U.S.) (2), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
Krista Hardebeck (U.S.) def. Shelby Rogers (U.S.), 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) def. Nicole Melichar (U.S.), 6-1, 6-7(1), 7-6(2)
Main Draw
Maria Sanchez (U.S.) def. Monica Puig (Puerto Rico), 6-1, 7-5
Jamie Hampton (U.S.) [8] def. Petra Rampre (Slovenia), 7-6 (4), 6-1
Timea Babos (Hungary) def. Irena Pavlovic (France), 7-6 (5), 6-4
Allie Will (U.S.) def. Kathrin Woerle (Germany), 6-3, 7-5
Valeria Savinykh (Russia) [7] def. Ashley Weinhold (U.S.), 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
Varvara Lepchenko (U.S.) [3] def. Julia Boserup (U.S.), 6-4, 7-6(2)
Kurumi Nara (Japan) def. Madison Brengle (U.S.), 6-3, 6-1
Tuesday’s Doubles Scores
Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) / Laura Siegemund (Germany) def. Angelina Gabueva (Russia) / Eva Hrdinova (Czech Republic), 6-4, 7-6 (3)
Maria Sanchez (U.S.) / Yasmin Schnack (U.S.) def. Irena Pavlovic (France) / Kathrin Woerle (Germany) (2), 6-4, 6-3
Macall Harkins (U.S.) / Ahsha Rolle (U.S.) def. Timea Babos (Hungary) / Petra Rampre (Slovenia), 6-4, 6-3
Alexa Glatch (U.S.) / Mashona Washington (U.S.) (3) def. Alexandra Mueller (U.S.) / Asia Muhammad (U.S.), 6-4, 6-1
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Women’s Singles: click here
Wednesday Order of Play: click here