Americans Post Qualifying Upsets

A trio of Americans scored three-set wins over the three highest remaining seeds Sunday to be among the six players to qualify into the ATX Open main draw. 

Louisa Chirico scored the biggest upset of the day as she came from behind to take out the No. 2 seed, Coco Vandeweghe, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(0). Chirco will now face fellow American Madison Brengle in the first round.

Dallas resident Ashlyn Krueger also had to battle from behind to reach the main draw. The 18-year-old defeated No. 3 seed Erika Andreeva 1-6, 7-5, 6-1. Krueger will take on another young American now in the main draw as she goes against 21-year-old Caty McNally.

It was not a comeback win for Ann Li, but she did hold off No. 4 seed Nao Hibino 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 to earn a main draw spot and a match against Anna Blinkova on Monday. 

Great Britain’s Katie Boulter, the No. 5 seed, was the highest ranked seed to reach the main draw. After splitting the first two sets, her opponent Elina Avanesyan retired after two games of the third set. Boulter’s 2-6, 7-5, 2-0, ret., win earned her a main draw match against 2022 NCAA champion Peyton Stearns from UT on Monday night. 

A second Brit advanced as Heather Watson recorded a 6-4, 7-5 win over Maria Carle. Watson’s reward is a match against Danka Kovinic Monday afternoon. 

Vandeweghe still made her way into the draw. She was selected as the lucky loser and will take on a qualifier, Robin Montgomery, who defeated the No. 1 seed on Saturday before reaching the main draw with a 7-6(4) 6-1 win over Elvina Kalieva on Sunday. 

In 2022, five players went on to win a WTA tournament after qualifying into the main draw, including ATX Open participants Anna Blinkova and Anastasia Potapova. Already this season, ATX Open No. 6 seed Lauren Davis qualified in Hobart and went on to win the title.