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Where future stars shine

By NANCY MORGAN
Published February 19, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Joseph Garnett Jr.] Karin Korb and Paul Walker discuss being wheelchair tennis players at a kickoff event for the Sheriff Jim Coats Third Annual Clearwater Women's Open.

CLEARWATER - Future women's tennis champions may be seen this week in the Sheriff Jim Coats Third Annual Clearwater Women's Open at the McMullen Tennis Complex.

Today concludes the qualifying tournament with the final eight singles players and the two doubles finalists advancing to the main draws.

Starting Tuesday morning, 32 singles players and 16 doubles teams begin battle in the open, a $25,000 USTA Pro Circuit competition. Prize money and ranking points are on the line for the aspiring professional players. The singles winner earns $3,000 and collects 25 ranking points.

"These girls are on the way up and still climbing," said Billie Lipp, a veteran USTA tour supervisor overseeing the tournament with Dessie Samuels. "There will be some good tennis played and it will be fun to watch.

"There's the potential of seeing some Americans move up, like Raquel Kops-Jones and Jessica Kirkland. There's only one Russian player here this year, third seed (Lioudmila) Skavronskaia. The top seed is from France, so players are from all around the world."

Last year's Clearwater Women's Open champion, Clarisa Fernandez of Argentina, went on to qualify for the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

This year's top seed, Mathilde Johansson, 21, of France, is ranked No. 148 in the world and posted a 31-17 record in USTA Pro Circuit events last year. Johansson made her tour debut at the French Open in 2005.

Nineteen-year-old Angelique Kerber of Germany is the No. 2 seed and recently reached the final in a $25,000 tournament in California. Third seed Skavronskaia, 26, played tennis for Miami and collected an NCAA title in 1998.

The top American player is Kops-Jones, a five-time All-American at Cal-Berkeley. The 24-year old is ranked No. 203. Miami's Kirkland, 19, is coming off a stellar junior career that includes a 2004 championship in the prestigious international Orange Bowl.

"Looking at the draw, it's very exciting to see such a diversified group of players," tournament director Theresa Victory said. "There's a good mix of competition and it's going to be exciting to watch the outcome."

This week's tournament is the seventh of more than 90 USTA Pro Circuit contests scheduled this year around the country.

If you go

Catch the action

The McMullen Tennis Complex is at 1000 Edenville Road, Clearwater. For more information or playing times, call 515-8375 or visit www.clearwateropen.bgcsuncoast.org.

[Last modified February 18, 2007, 21:46:40]