Women’s, men’s qualifying play set for today at BNP Paribas Open
Women’s singles qualifying play for tennis’ 2013BNP Paribas Open is scheduled to conclude today at the Indian Wells TennisGarden, while men’s singles qualifying play will begin.
Mallory Burdette of Jackson, Ga., and Grace Min of Lawrenceville, Ga.,are the only Americans among the 24 women seeking the 12 berths reserved forqualifiers in the 96-player main draw.
Burdette, who reached the third round of last year’s U.S. Open afterstarring at Stanford, will face 13th-seeded Melinda Czink of Hungary.
Min, the 2011 U.S. Open girls’ singles champion who received a wild cardberth into the qualifying, will face Estrella Cabeza Candela of Spain.
Women’s singles qualifying play began Monday, with Burdette defeatingJana Cepelova of Slovakia, who was seeded 11th in the 48-player draw; and Mintopping 12th-seeded Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 4-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3.
The other six Americans all lost, including seventh-seeded CocoVandeweghe of Rancho Santa Fe, a finalist in the 2012 Bank of the West Classicand a niece of former NBA player and executive Kiki Vandeweghe; she lost toNastassja Burnett of Italy, 6-2, 6-1.
Andrea Petkovic of Germany, who rose to ninth in the Women’s TennisAssociation singles rankings in 2011 but was sidelined for more than sevenmonths in 2012 because of a low back injury followed by an ankle injury, willface 14th-seeded Monica Puig. Petkovic, now ranked 177th, defeated sixth-seededYulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan, 6-0, 6-2, Monday.
Women’s main draw play is scheduled to begin Wednesday.
Men’s qualifying play begins today with 24 matches, including top-seededErnests Gulbis of Latvia, who won the Delray Beach International TennisChampionships Sunday, facing 18-year-old Christian Harrison of Bradenton, Fla.,who received a wild card berth into the qualifying.
Admission is free.
