WTA: The world elite gather in San Jose
Numerous top players are returning to the tour at the WTA 500 tournament in San Jose. The draw promises high tension.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit:
Jul 30, 2022, 06:53 pm
Almost exactly a month before the start of the US Open on August 29th, (almost) the entire world elite gathers at the WTA 500 tournament in San Jose to get ready for the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. Since the tournament in Wimbledon, numerous players have taken more or less long breaks, so it's time to see each other again in the Californian city.
Leading the field is Maria Sakkari, who enjoys a bye in the first round along with Paula Badosa, Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka. As early as the second round, Bianca Andreescu, third in the world rankings, could face a major challenge, the 2019 US Open winner opened against Shelby Rogers. In the quarterfinals, Sakkari faces a duel against Karolina Pliskova or Amanda Anisimova before Jabeur could wait in the semifinals.
First round cracker in the lower half
Badosa, second seeded, initially has to deal with Alison Riske or a qualifier in the lower half, potential quarter-final opponents are Cori Gauff and Naomi Osaka, who is celebrating her comeback in San Jose and drew a tricky first-round draw with Zheng Qinwen. Daria Kasatkina and Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina will contest another first round smash.
The big absentee in San Jose is the world number one Iga Swiatek, who surprisingly said goodbye to her home tournament in Warsaw in the quarter-finals . Her first pursuer, Anett Kontaveit, also decided not to start in California.