The 2017 Mexican Open is the last of the WTA hardcourt events preceding the March showcases which form one of the more pivotal points on the calendar. It’s important for players at this tournament to win at least one or two matches so that they aren’t rusty and insufficiently prepared for the coming month.
The competition in the 32-player main draw will begin on Monday, February 27. We’re not going to see too many big names at this event as Serena and Venus Williams aren’t making the trip down. Also, we’re not going to see someone like Angelique Kerber either. There is opportunity for one of the young players to step up and get a tournament win down in Mexico and advance their careers.
Event Details
Event: Mexican Open
Category: WTA International Level
Date: February 27 – March 4, 2016
Location: Fairmont Acapulco Princess – Acapulco, Mexico
With a prize money allotment of $250,000, the purse is standard for an International level event. This is not a tournament which is valuable for prestige. It is a valuable tournament because it sharpens players’ hardcourt skills just in time for the bigger events at Indian Wells and Miami, which are lucrative and highly important in the rankings chase during the year.
Points
Champion – 280
Runner-up – 180
Semifinal – 110
Quarterfinal – 60
Round of 16 – 30
Former Champions and Results (5 Years)
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2016: Sloane Stephens def. Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7-5)
2015: Timea Bacisnszky def. Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-0
2014: Dominika Cibulkova def. Christina McHale 7-6(7-3), 4-6, 6-4
2013: Sara Errani def. Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-4
2012: Sara Errani def. Flavia Pennetta 5-7, 7-6(7-2), 6-0
Player Info:
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, in her eight previous visits to the Australian Open, had never progressed beyond the third round. This year, she reached the quarterfinals, defeating Elina Svitolina and Svetlana Kuznetsova along the way, before losing to Venus Williams. The 22nd-ranked Russian was poised to continue her rise but has failed to live up to her expectations in subsequent weeks, losing in the second round in Qatar and in the opening round in Dubai. Can she stop the bleeding in Mexico?
23-year-old Kristina Mladenovic stopped working with her coach, Georges Goven, during the offseason and has not brought on anyone else. She said she has had problems finding an effective coach. The young Frenchwoman won her first WTA title in St. Petersburg and rose to No. 31 in the rankings. In Dubai, she blasted past this season’s most in-form player, Karolina Pliskova, in straight sets in the second round. However, she couldn’t back up the upset victory in the next round. Her lack of consistency is concerning, but that doesn’t make her less dangerous.
At the Qatar Open, Monica Puig advanced to her first semifinal since her historic gold medal run at the Rio Olympics. Puig couldn’t go deep in Dubai as she was handsomely beaten by world number two Angelique Kerber in the third round. However, the way she fought and won against Daria Kasatkina in Doha should give her a lot of confidence. She has found some form, but can she carry that to Acapulco?
Christina McHale qualified for Doha but couldn’t get a main draw win, as she fell to Elena Vesnina in a three-set contest. McHale played some of her best tennis in Dubai but went down early against Elena Svitolina in a deciding third set. Although she lost, there is no reason to feel bad about herself. McHale beat some quality opponents in Kiki Bertens and Naomi Osaka and should believe she can do more damage in Mexico.
Eugenie Bouchard hasn’t played a tennis match since her third-round exit at the Australian Open in January. The Canadian superstar will be returning to the tour at the Mexican Open. Will she be rusty? Will she be rejuvenated? Is she really determined? There are so many questions that needs to be answered.
Fairmont Acapulco Princess
The tennis facility is part of a large resort hotel in Acapulco, enabling players to have lodging a short walk from where they compete during the week. Tourists can enjoy tennis during the week as part of their vacation. The complex has several courts to facilitate the modest-scale event, with a stadium court that can hold about 6,000 spectators.
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