Begu and Flipkens Wins First Career Titles

A light week on the pro tennis circuit with the men scattered across the globe in Davis Cup action and the women having just two small tournaments on opposite sides of the globe.  This is a week that gave lower ranked players a chance to gain some ranking points and perhaps a title as one of the tournaments had a low direct entry of 219.  Kirsten Flipkens probably didn't envision a journeywoman's career when she won Wimbledon and the US Open as a junior in 2003, but she finally won her first WTA title this week in Quebec City and will move back into the top 100.  In her third WTA final, Irina-Camelia Begu finally broke through to win her first title, perhaps salvaging what has been a tough year after a promising 2011 where she finished no. 40.  She is now, with the title, only at 59.

WTA International: Quebec City, Canada

Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) def. 8) Lucie Hradecka (CZE) 6-1 7-5

-Flipkens wins 1st career title in 1st final
-Other QF:  3) Mona Barthel (GER)-SF, 6) Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE), Anna Tatishvili (GEO), Melanie Oudin (USA), Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)-SF, Q) Lauren Davis (USA)
-Other seeds:  1) Cibulkova (R1 l. to Flipkens), 2) Wickmayer (R2 l. to Davis), 4) Wozniak (R2 w/d), 5) Oprandi (R1 l. to Beck), 7) R2 l. to Tatishvili

-Zahlavova Strycova was the defending champion and lost to Barthel in the QF.
-Zahlavova Strycova was the only returning quarterfinalist from last year.

-There were only 4 sets played in the semis, but 3 were tiebreaks and the other 7-5.
-Oudin beat Falconi in R1 then received a walkover to the QF, where she won only one game against Mladenovic.
-Best scoreline was R2 Hradecka def. Bouchard 7-6(2) 2-6 7-6(4)
-Canadians went just 2-5 in their home tournament, getting wins from Wozniak and Bouchard.

-Lots of Americans in this draw due to the low direct entry and its proximity to the USA.  They didn't fare so hot though, going 3-9 with only Davis and Oudin winning.

-Plenty of young blood in this tournament too, with '94 no. 2 Beck and no. 6 Bouchard getting wins as well as '93 no. 6 Mladenovic and no. 7 Davis going deep.  Several others from my younger top 10 by birth year lists were in the main draw but lost first round matches.  

WTA International: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) def. Q) Donna Vekic (CRO) 6-4 6-4

-Begu wins 1st career title
-Other QF:  2) Urszula Radwanska (POL)-SF, 5) Alexandra Cadantu (ROU), 6) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB), 7) Alexandra Panova (RUS), 8) Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ), Eva Birnerova (CZE)
-Other seeds:  1) Niculescu (R1 l. to Knapp), 3) Cornet (R2 l. to Begu), 4) Rybarikova (R1 l. to Vekic)
-Pervak chose not to defend her title.

-Radwanska the younger and Birnerova were returning quarterfinalists from last year.
-Best scoreline was QF Radwanska def. Panova 5-7 6-2 7-6(3)
-There was just one American in the draw, Cohen, who promptly lost to Doi.
-Uzbeks went 1-4 with the only win Sharipova def. compatriot Ekshibarova 6-4 7-5
-Donna Vekic is the leading lady born in 1996.  She began the year ranked 390 and will now be 121.  She qualified for her first WTA main draw and reaches the final with wins over Rybarikova, Arruabarrena-Vecino, Jovanovski, and Birnerova.  The first three of those have won titles this year.  I would say keep an eye on this young lady.