The 2017 BMW Malaysian Open is a bit of a detour, in the sense that while other WTA pros are in Mexico as the lead-in to Indian Wells (played in the Southern California desert), a contingent of players is across the Pacific Ocean before one of the more important stretches of the tennis year. The investment of time needs to be worth it for the players who to go Kuala Lumpur. Given the heavy travel, that’s going to deter a number of the big names who would rather make a splash at Indian Wells. Serena Williams will not be there. Neither will her sister Venus. That means there’s an opening for someone else to make their name at the 2017 WTA Malaysian Open. Look for Elina Svitolina to be the favorite for this event and a good showing here might bode well for her chances at Indians Wells in a couple of weeks.
The competition in the 32-player main draw will begin on Monday, February 27.
Event Details
Event: Malaysian Open
Category: WTA International Level
Date: February 27 – March 5, 2017
Location: Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
With a prize money allotment of $250,000, this tournament doesn’t really present a lot of pop in terms of bank accounts, but it’s still a chance for a lot of players in the field to get practice and visit an exotic location on the tour. The long commute to Indian Wells means that players who go deep in this tournament face a much shorter turnaround then those who lose early. This is a complication players knew they were signing up for, so they must know they can endure the grind of the tour.
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: Elina Svitolina def. Eugenie Bouchard 6-7(5-7), 6-4, 7-5
2015: Caroline Wozniacki def. Alexandra Dulgheru 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
2014: Donna Vekic def. Dominika Cibulkova 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(7-4)
2013: Karolina Pliskova def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands 1-6, 7-5, 6-3
2012: Hsieh Su-Wei def. Petra Martic 2-6, 7-5, 4-1 ret.
Player Info:
Elina Svitolina is playing the best tennis of her career. So far this year, she has won in Taipei City and in Dubai, where she defeated Caroline Wozniacki on Saturday for the title, putting her in the top 10 of the rankings for the first time. Svitolina worked really hard in the offseason. Svitolina’s hunger is visible but playing three tournaments in four weeks may not be a wise idea.
The 28-year-old from Spain, Carla Suarez Navarro has been regularly troubled by a right shoulder injury this year, making her only appearance of 2017 at the Australian Open. She lost in the second round. Suarez Navarro also pulled out of the recently concluded Qatar Open, where she was the defending champion. She has been practicing through her rehab and hopes to return to full fitness at the Malaysian Open.
Caroline Garcia has already made a name for herself in doubles but has not yet made a mark in singles. Garcia is ranked 24th in the world, well below where many experts thought she would rise. Garcia returns to Malaysia for the first time since her first-round exit in 2012. In Dubai, she lost to Monica Puig in the second round. She has the game to upset the players ranked above her.
Earlier this month, the diminutive Yulia Putintseva reached the final of the St Petersburg event, her first WTA final, but lost in three sets to Kristina Mladenovic. Putintseva then surprisingly lost to Catherine Bellis in the first round in Dubai. However, the 22-year-old Russian is hitting the ball well and is expected to shake off that one bad result. She is up to a career high 27th in the rankings and is a genuine title contender in Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club
The Malaysian Open will be played at this venue for the second time after its 2016 debut. The tennis facility within the golf club is as old as the tournament, built specifically for the event as an anchor in Asia’s winter tennis swing. The organizers of the tournament pointed to the value of a more centrally-located site in Kuala Lumpur that would better meet the needs of players and media.
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