Photo by Miya Tanner for Texas Student Media
Qualifiers took different paths to earn their spots for the remaining spots in the main draw of the HEB Women’s Pro Tennis Open at the Texas Tennis Center in Austin.
Second-seeded Jasmijn Gimbrere of the Netherlands took just 43 minutes to dismantle her Alexandra Osborne, her Australian opponent, 6-0, 6-0 — a.k.a. a double bagel — on Court 5. Two courts down on Court 1, was a completely opposite situation as it took two hours for China’s Jiangxue Han to win the first set 7-6 (2) over Brazil’s Thasia Grana Pedrett (pictured above and hinting of the final result).
Amelia Honer, a senior at UC Santa Barbara, scored the first upset of the day, taking down Daria Kuczer of Poland, the top-seeded player in qualifying, 6-3, 6-1. “It’s nice to have two matches under my belt (going into the main draw),” Honer said. “I’m just going to keep trying and playing one point at a time.”
In a matchup of first-year Longhorns, Carmen Herea, a native of Romania, took down Ariana Anazagasty-Pursoo, 6-2, 6-1.
“It feels good to play at home and get the win, even though it was against a teammate,” Herea said. “We’re just out here playing our best tennis, whether it’s our teammate or not. When we’re out here, it’s just (another) opponent so I’m just treating the game with respect like always and just embracing the game, win or lose.”
Another Longhorn advancing to the main draw is Eszter Meri, a Slovakian who defeated Rhiann Newborn, 6-3, 6-1, on Court 2.
Back on Court 1, Han and Pedretti continued their seemingly never-ending battle with Pedretti finding her stride in the second set, winning 6-2. While that marathon match played its second set, Longhorn junior Vivian Ovrootsky defeated Ayana Akli of the South Carolina tennis team, 6-2, 6-3 on Court 3.
Four hours and five minutes after her match began, and two hours after she lost a grueling first set, Pedretti ultimately defeated Han 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-3, in the longest match in Dropshot history and her career.
“The first set was so tough, every game was 40 all,” Pedretti said. “That was the longest set that I’ve played in my life, so I’m really happy. When you lose the first set 7-6 with a lot of 40 all, you can’t go into the second set stressed or angry. I’m happy that I could be on and play best.”
As the first qualifying match on Court 1 came to a close, so did the second match on Court 2. Aya El Anoui of Morocco had been the most vocal player on the court, but Yuiga Huang of China got the last scream after she clinched the match, 7-5, 6-4.
Of the four first-round singles matches in the main draw on Tuesday, two were fairly straightforward upsets. Gabriela Lee of Romania upset No. 2 Anastasia Tikhonova, 6-3, 6-4, and wild card Mikaila Rapolu, the Austin area native and former Longhorn, defeated No. 7 Gabriela Knutson of Czechia, 6-2, 6-1. Jaime Loeb was a 6-4, 6-4 over fellow American Victoria Hu, and Jaimee Fourlis of Australia rallied past Madison Sieg, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
— Lindsey Plotkin