Alycia Parks and Maja Chwalinska have emerged as the singles champions this week at the WTA 125 tournaments. At the Open In Arte Angers Loire in Angers, France, the No.3 seed Parks from the United States conquered wild card Belinda Bencic from Switzerland, finishing the singles final 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-0 on Sunday. Parks now boasts […]
Alycia Parks and Maja Chwalinska have emerged as the singles champions this week at the WTA 125 tournaments.
At the Open In Arte Angers Loire in Angers, France, the No.3 seed Parks from the United States conquered wild card Belinda Bencic from Switzerland, finishing the singles final 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-0 on Sunday. Parks now boasts two titles in Angers, having previously claimed this championship in 2022.
Parks required 2 hours and 22 minutes to defeat former Top 5 competitor Bencic, who has made her return to the tour after maternity leave. In the final, Parks delivered 14 aces and won all her first-service points (7-for-7) during the crucial third set.
The 23-year-old Parks is proving her prowess on indoor hard courts. This victory marks her fifth WTA 125 singles title, with three being secured on indoor surfaces. Additionally, the American’s WTA 250 title at the 2023 Lyon was also achieved on an indoor hardcourt.
Ranking at World No.103 at present, Parks is anticipated to move back into the Top 100 of the PIF Rankings with this week’s outcomes. Last summer, she reached a career-best rank of No.40.
The week was also significant for 2021 Olympic gold medalist Bencic, who has made a strong return to the tour. Over the last five weeks (including the Billie Jean King Cup), Bencic has participated in four events and garnered an 8-2 singles record. She welcomed her first child in April.
Bencic also competed in the doubles final on Sunday, where she finished as runner-up. The No.1 seeded Romanian duo of Monica Niculescu and Elena-Gabriela Ruse triumphed over the all-Swiss team of Bencic and Celine Naef with a score of 6-3, 6-4 to claim the doubles championship.
Niculescu secured her second consecutive title in Angers (having won the previous year alongside Cristina Bucsa) and her third overall WTA 125 doubles title. This marks Ruse’s first WTA 125 doubles title in her career.
In a concurrent victory, Chwalinska from Poland navigated two matches on Sunday to capture her inaugural WTA 125 singles title at the MundoTenis Open held on the red clay of Florianopolis, Brazil.
The No.7 seed Chwalinska began the day by winning a rain-delayed semifinal match against No.8 seed Leolia Jeanjean from France, decisively defeating her 6-0, 6-3 in just 79 minutes. Later, Chwalinska easily claimed a 6-1, 6-2 victory against Swiss qualifier Ylena In-Albon in a final lasting 71 minutes.
In-Albon, who narrowly missed the Top 100 in 2022, participated in her most significant career final this week. The Swiss athlete earned her spot by defeating No.1 seed Maria Lourdes Carle with a score of 3-6, 7-6(9), 6-2 in the other rain-delayed semifinal, overcoming two match points in a three-hour battle.
Chwalinska also claimed the doubles title in Florianopolis this week, teaming up with Brazil’s Laura Pigossi to defeat Italy’s Nicole Fossa Huergo and Valeriya Strakhova from Ukraine 7-6(3), 6-3 in the final. The doubles final was held indoors on Saturday due to the weather disruptions.
This victory represents Chwalinska’s second WTA 125 doubles title, having recently won the WTA 125 Buenos Aires doubles crown alongside Katarzyna Kawa. This marks the first WTA 125 doubles title for Pigossi, who earned a bronze medal in doubles at the 2021 Olympics.
