Tashkent Open 2019, Uzbekistan, WTA International

[tented]

DATE: September 23-28, 2019
SURFACE: Hard
PRIZE MONEY: $250,000
FIELD SIZE: 32
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Margarita Gasparyan

Seeds:

1. Viktoria Kuzmova
2. Margarita Gasparyan
3. Alison van Uytvanck
4. Jelena Ostapenko
5. Kristyna Pliskova
6. Tatjana Maria
7. Timea Babos
8. Sorana Cirstea

The Tournament:

Held since 1999, this WTA Tour event is an International tournament and is played on outdoor hard courts.

About Tashkent:

Tashkent is the capital city of Uzbekistan. It's known for its many museums and its mix of modern and Soviet-era architecture. The Amir Timur Museum houses manuscripts, weapons and other relics from the Timurid dynasty. Nearby, the huge State Museum of History of Uzbekistan has centuries-old Buddhist artifacts. The city's skyline is distinguished by Tashkent Tower, which offers city views from its observation deck.

Tourism Guide:

 

[tented]

The Draw:

 

[kskate2]

This event, Seoul or Ghangzhou is the kind of tourney Serena needs to commit, play and win. If she wins any title before her next slam final, she will set herself up for success.

 

[the AntiPusher]

This event, Seoul or Ghangzhou is the kind of tourney Serena needs to commit, play and win. If she wins any title before her next slam final, she will set herself up for success.

Very true.she will learn she can’t just show up 2 or 3 before a major to take the title. KS, Serena hasn’t won a set in the previous 4 grand slam finals.. that’s telling me it’s mental

 

[GameSetAndMath]

This event, Seoul or Ghangzhou is the kind of tourney Serena needs to commit, play and win. If she wins any title before her next slam final, she will set herself up for success.

Yes, but this is not the time for it. She needs to do them in the few weeks immediately before slams.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I understand where Kskate is coming from,with Serena playing a minor tournament and winning it.It has been a long time since she has held up a trophy,I also feel there is a lot of pressure with Serena trying to equal Court's GS titles,she has come out as flat as a tack in the finals since returning to the tour after having her child.
Serena needs to get that 'winning mentality' back and winning a tournament is the first step.
Serena will play the ASB Classic in Auckland in January as her warm up tournament to the AO in 2020.

 

[kskate2]

I understand where Kskate is coming from,with Serena playing a minor tournament and winning it.It has been a long time since she has held up a trophy,I also feel there is a lot of pressure with Serena trying to equal Court's GS titles,she has come out as flat as a tack in the finals since returning to the tour after having her child.
Serena needs to get that 'winning mentality' back and winning a tournament is the first step.
Serena will play the ASB Classic in Auckland in January as her warm up tournament to the AO in 2020.

Yes, but this is not the time for it. She needs to do them in the few weeks immediately before slams.

There are only 3 warmups before AO (Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney). Everyone and their mama will be spread evenly amongst those 3 tourneys. She needs to abandon taking the entire fall off, commit and travel to one of these tournaments before the season ends. Winning breeds winning, especially when you've been accustomed to it. End the season w/ some momentum so that when she shows up in Auckland she'll be ready to rumble. But hey, what do I actually know?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

S/finals,

K.Zavatska v S.Cirstea
Kristyna Pliskova v A.Van Uytvanck.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

S/final results,

Sorana Cirstea d Katrina Zavatska 60 63

Alison Van Uytvanck d Kristyna Pliskova 63 75

Final,

Sorana Cirstea v Alison Van Uytvanck

 

[isabelle]

Alison won, congrats to her

 

[GameSetAndMath]

There are only 3 warmups before AO (Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney). Everyone and their mama will be spread evenly amongst those 3 tourneys. She needs to abandon taking the entire fall off, commit and travel to one of these tournaments before the season ends. Winning breeds winning, especially when you've been accustomed to it. End the season w/ some momentum so that when she shows up in Auckland she'll be ready to rumble. But hey, what do I actually know?

I agree that she should not pull the plug on the season now. Beijing premier mandatory is starting on Monday. I have not checked her schedule; hopefully, she is playing there. Also, she is likely to qualify for the WTF and she should play in that also.

At Serena's stature winning smaller trophies at this point of the season is not important. However, she should definitely play in one or two smaller tourneys before each GS so that she can win one and get confidence at right time. She is not going to win a GS before lifting a trophy elsewhere.

I agree that everybody will be there in Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney. But, at least they are distributed. If she cannot win a title there, how can she hope to win at a GS where everybody will be there (and not distributed) as well.

In her defense, it is not that she does not want to play in smaller tourneys. She recognizes the need for that. Before Wimby, there was Caro's wedding which interfered and before USO, she had injury (needless to mention childbirth and her own wedding before that).