After an exciting Australian Open, most female players will this week play in the Fed Cup qualifiers. 16 nations will play each other to secure the eight spots remaining in the Fed Cup Final. After playing in the qualifiers, players will return to singles actions on the WTA tour. The Abierto Mexicano Telcel, in Acapulco, Mexico will take place later this month. Venus Williams will join Kenin and Barty at the Mexico event. The former world number one has won the event twice, in 2009 and 2010. She will hope to progress further that at the Australian Open where she suffered defeat to Coco Gauff in the first round.
Kenin the losing finalist last year
Some of the best female players have already confirmed their participation in Mexico. Sofia Kenin will headline the event following her Australian Open triumph. The 21-year-old reached the final in Acapulco last year but lost to Wang Yafan in the final. Current world number one Ashleigh Barty will also play in Mexico. She will seek to avenge her semifinal defeat to Kenin in Melbourne.
Andreescu could return to singles action in Mexico
The Abierto Mexicano could see the return of Bianca Andreescu to singles action. The Canadian has not played competitively since she suffered a knee injury at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen. She will be on the Canadian team for the Fed Cup qualifiers but her coach, Sylvain Bruneau, has said that she will play only if she is fully fit. Andreescu had a breakout season last year, winning three WTA titles including her first Grand Slam at the US Open. Her achievements earned her the 2019 WTA Newcomer of the Year award. However, her knee injury has kept out of action this season. She withdrew from the Auckland Open last month and skipped the Australian Open.
Another teenager who could make an appearance at the Mexico Open is American Amanda Anisimova. The 18-year-old has had a difficult few months after her father passed away in August last year. The American player made her first appearance since her father’s passing at the Australian Open. She lost in the first round to Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan. After the match, the 18-year-old broke down to tears after a reporter asked her if she was feeling “unsettled” with her father not by her side. Fans criticized the unnamed reporter for being insensitive. Her mixed doubles partner at the tournament, Nick Kyrgios, defended her asking the media to show more compassion.
Venus Williams’s ranking and performance in 2020
Ranked world no.66, the American played her last match on the 20th of January when she was defeated by Cori Gauff 7-65 6-3 in the 1st round of the Australian Open.
Ashleigh Barty’s ranking and performance in 2020
Currently ranked no.1, Ashleigh played her last match on the 30th of January when she had to surrender to Sofia Kenin 7-66 7-5 in the semifinal of the Australian Open.
This season Barty has a 9-2 win-loss record. Barty clinched 1 title in Adelaide.
Venus Williams and Ashleigh Barty played each other 2 times. The head to head is 2-0 for Barty.
The last time that they fought against each other, Ashleigh Barty won 6-4 6-3 in the quarter in Birmingham (Nature Valley Classic) in June 2019.
Sofia Kenin’s ranking and performance in 2020
Currently ranked no.7 (career-high), Kenin played her last match on the 1st of February when she defeated Garbine Muguruza 4-6 6-2 6-2 in the final of the Australian Open to win her 4th career title.
At the moment, this season the American has a 9-2 win-loss record. Kenin conquered 1 title at the Australian Open.
Bianca Vanessa Andreescu’s ranking and performance in 2020
Ranked no.6, the Canadian played her last match on the 30th of October 2019 when she had to retire when playing against Karolina Pliskova in the round robin and the scoreline was 6-3 .
Sofia Kenin and Bianca Vanessa Andreescu played each other 3 times. The head to head is 2-1 for Andreescu.
The last time that they fought against each other, Bianca Vanessa Andreescu won 6-4 7-65 in the semifinal in Toronto (Rogers Cup) in August 2019.
Here the highlights.
