The 2017 Prague Open is a chance for members of the WTA Tour to sharpen their games before a pair of Premier level events in Madrid and Rome arrive. Qualifying for Roland Garros is foremost on the minds of a number of players who will compete in this event, but for some, it’s a chance to play against an International tier field (not a Premier 5 or Premier Mandatory field) and have a good chance to win matches. There’s something for WTA pros at various stages of need and urgency.
The competition in the 32-player main draw begins on Monday, May 1.
Event Details
Event: Prague Open
Category: WTA International tier
Date: May 1 – 6, 2017
Location: TK Sparta Praha / Sparta Prague Tennis Club – Prague, Czechia (Czech Republic)
With a prize money allotment of $500,000, there is a distinct incentive for players to play this event. It stands out as an International tier tournament with more bang for the buck. The same rankings points can be had for twice the paycheck. That’s hard to pass up for WTA competitors.
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: Lucie Safarova def. Samantha Stosur 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
2015: Karolina Pliskova def. Lucie Hradecka 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
Player Info:
Karolina Pliskova had a terrific hardcourt swing, where she won titles in Brisbane and Qatar and compiled a 23-4 record. Pliskova is first in the Road to Singapore rankings. The tall Czech isn’t expected to dominate clay, but she should win more matches on dirt than she did last year. Pliskova had a barren run on clay in 2016, winning just one match among Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros.
If she has a good run on the red brick road in 2017, she’ll replace Serena Williams as the new world No. 1 sooner than expected. However, for that to happen, she’ll have to continue to be consistent in her home tourney.
Seven months ago, injury woes and indifferent form caused Caroline Wozniacki to fall to a No. 74 ranking, but some consistent results have her knocking on the door of the top 10. Although she has been consistent, though, a WTA title has eluded her.
If she keeps pushing harder and puts herself in winning positions as she has this year, she’ll lift a trophy sooner rather than later. Prague will tell us if she can continue her excellent hardcourt run on clay.
Clay has never been Barabara Strycova’s preferred surface, but she still managed to win a match against Jennifer Brady in Stuttgart. The faster conditions helped her in the opening match but it wasn’t the same when she faced Simona Halep in the second round. Strycova was routed by the Romanian in just under 75 minutes.
The Czech next plays in her home tourney in Prague, where again the competition will be strong. Strycova isn’t expected to do anything spectacular but if she can win couple matches, that would be a bonus.
Samantha Stosur recorded her fourth first-round loss this season after going down to Anastasija Sevastova in Stuttgart. After a poor hardcourt swing, she hoped to change her fortunes on clay, but her first event ended on a bad note. Things haven’t gone Stosur’s way but that can change in Prague, where she was the finalist last year.
At only 17, Marketa Vondrousova won her first WTA title beating Anett Kontaveit in the Biel Ladies Open final. Vondrousova, playing only her second WTA event, had to play the qualifiers to enter the main draw. The teenager didn’t even drop a set in the main draw and became the youngest player to win a WTA title in almost two years. With a title in Biel, she jumped 119 spots to be ranked 114th.
With the French Open just around the corner, Vondrousova can use a few match wins in Prague to get an automatic entry into one of the sport’s marquee events.
Sparta Prague Tennis Club
The Sparta Prague Tennis Club is associated with this tournament, and it should be regarded as a place which has enabled the Prague Open to grow. This used to be an ITF Challenger Circuit event, but after several years of being in the equivalent of the minor leagues of tennis, the Prague Open has been able to become a WTA Tour event and, as you can see from the prize money, a comparatively lucrative one when placed against other International tier events, one of which is occurring during the same week in Rabat, Morocco.
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