Tennis update: Sacha Jones given a wild card for next month’s ASB Classic
The professional tennis player from New Zealand, Sacha Jones has received a wild card entry into the main draw of the 2011 ASB Classic Women’s tennis competition on Tuesday. The event will be held in Auckland next month.
Richard Palmer, who is the director of the ASB Classic while commenting on Jones’ participation into the main draw of the event said, "Jones has always had promise and talent and it was sad that she was unable to participate in
the 2010 ASB Classic as a result of injury.”
He further added, “She has come back and secured her spot in the main draw with some solid results in Challenger events. She will have a great of hometown support in what is an exceptional ASB Classic field."
Two wild card entries are still kept, one of which will be given to Marina Erakovic, if the right-hander recovers from her wrist injury.
Despite a hard 2010, where a couple of injuries kept Jones out of this season’s Classic, the right hander still did well to make an impact in the Challengers and end the season ranked No. 253 in the South African Airways WTA list.
The top ranked Kiwi player has taken part in twelve events in the last twelve months on the tour. During that stretch, Jones posted her best results by winning crowns at the US$25,000 Challenger back in September and another Challenger
in the Western Australian town of Esperance last month. She also ended runner-up at Traralgon earlier in 2010. Her other notable performances this season include a semifinal appearance at Bendigo and a quarterfinal showing at Cairns.
The 20-year old qualified for the $220,000 WTA competition at Pattaya back in February before falling in the first round at the hands of her higher ranked opponent in straight sets. Jones achieved her career best ranking of No.
167 last year during November.
Sacha rose to prominence back in 2009 when she picked up her first International Tennis Federation senior crown, the US$10,000 Brownsville tournament in the United States, followed by a final four appearance at the US$50,000 Grapevine
event last year.
Tags: