Katerina Siniakova from Czech Republic won the EMPIRE Slovak Open 2016 title (prize money 100 000 USD, clay). WTA No. 124, 22 years old Siniakova beat the Latvian Anastasija Sevastova (26) (94.), winner from four years ago, number three seeded, in three sets 7-6, 5-7, 6-0.
Siniakova lost lead in second set, being 5-1 up. She made nine double faults. After Strycova win in 2013, this is second Czech player to take the title from Trnava.
Katerina Siniakova (20) advanced into the ITF EMPIRE Slovak Open 2016 in Trnava after beating Zarina Diyas (22) from Kazakhstan in three sets 6-3, 0-6, 6-4. In the first semi-final on the centre court, Latvian Sevastova beat home player Rebecca Sramkova 6-1, 6-3. Final is scheduled for Sunday at 11:00 am.
Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova reached the singles semi-final of EMPIRE Slovak Open 2016. On Saturday morning, at 11 am, she will challenge Latvian Sevastova. Czech Katerina Siniakova is the other known semi-finalist. She will play Diyas from Kazachstan in TC EMPIRE club in Trnava in the second semi-final of the day.
Rainy Thursday allowed only two singles matches to start at EMPIRE Slovak Open 2016. Rebecca Sramkova was successful in 2nd round on the centre court, beating Jana Cepelova 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 and advanced to the quarterfinal.
First and second round matches were played on Wednesday at EMPIRE Slovak Open 2016, first quarterfinalists are already known. Sevastova, Eguchi, Siniakova and Pliskova, who eliminated Slovakian Jurikova, are all amongst best eight. Only 16 years old Vondrousova also made her through, as well as Slovakian Jana Cepelova. Biggest clay tournament in Slovakia will see at least one Czech semi-finalist; Katerina Siniakova will play Kristyna Pliskova in the solely Czech quarterfinal.
Jan Studenic is coaching Tereza Mihalikova since she was 9, very rare in tennis these days. Starting at HTO tournaments, Mihalikova has won grandslam under him. "It is all about hard work, respect and understanding. Both player and coach are developing. Everyone has its own input. We both need to work hard, to improve," says about the reasons of their long term cooperation going so well.
Rebecca Sramkova (19) got forwarded to eight-finals of singles at the ITF EMPIRE Slovak Open in Trnava (prize money 100 000 USD, clay court). She got there due to her great fight on Tuesday. During the match of the first round, she managed to beat the Czech player Barbora Krejcikova (20) in 159 minutes 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-4.
Tereza Mihalikova (17), new EMPIRE Tennis Academy member, is one of the most recognised junior players at her age. In 2015, she won girls singles at Australian Open, year later she was in the singles final and won the doubles. She already made herself name amongst women, winning four ITF tournaments, two of them in current season. In the WTA rankings, she occupied her career best No. 466 recently. She was given wild card at EMPIRE Slovak Open 2016.
Do you recall your beginnings in Trnava or anything interesting from youth categories?
Lenka Jurikova just like a year ago, advanced into the singles main draw at the clay court of ITF EMPIRE Slovak Open 2016. Now, in the qualifying final, she has beaten the first seeded Arantxa Rus from Netherlands 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-3. Kristyna Pliskova advanced into the second round of the above mentioned match.
Exactly two years ago, Jana Cepelova reached her career best in WTA ranking, 50th place and although she fell out of TOP 100 she is eager to make a come back. She started the new season well, coming through the qualies in January in Brisbane, Australia, her most successful tournament this year. About her current goals, she spoke for our tournament program.