The 2016 Generali Linz Open rounds out the WTA season for players, enabling them to reshape the rankings one more time. Players who couldn’t do much in the weeks after the U.S. Open or who didn’t want to make the trip to China for tour events (or who lost very early in China) play in Austria to continue their season. A deep run can matter in terms of end-of-the-year standings.
The competition in the 28-player main draw began on Sunday, January 10.
Event Details
Event: Generali Linz Open
Category: WTA International tier
Date: October 10 – 16, 2016
Location: TipsArena – Linz, Austria
The 2016 Generali Linz Open will mark the 30th year of the tournament. It’s not a prestigious tournament, but it’s certainly a durable one. Professionals appreciate a chance to play before the end of the season.
With a prize money allotment of $250,000, the financial carrot at this tournament is not considerable. This is a chance to simply play tennis – there aren’t many more chances before the WTA Finals. These players won’t be in the hunt, since the top players on tour are playing in Beijing and handling the Asian swing.
The points structure under any of the WTA International tier events on the women’s tour will offer 280 player points towards the winner’s ranking, with 180 points going to the tournament’s runner-up. Semifinalists get 110 points, quarterfinalists 60, and round of 16 players 30 points. First round (round of 32) losers get only one point.
Former Champions and Results (5 Years)
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2015 – Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Anna Lena Friedsam – 6-4, 6-3
2014 – Karolina Pliskova def. Camila Giorgi – 6-7, 6-3, 7-6
2013 – Angelique Kerber def. Ana Ivanovic – 6-4, 7-6
2012 – Victoria Azarenka def. Julia Goerges – 6-3, 6-4
2011 – Petra Kvitova def. Dominika Cibulkova — 6-4, 6-1
Player Info:
Karolina Pliskova is a solid 40-19 on the year and had a great run in New York but she is still searching for consistency in WTA events. At the Pan Pacific Open, she was ousted by unheralded Aliaksandra Sasnovich in straight sets. Johanna Konta, ranked 14th in the world, saw off the tall Czech 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(2) in the third round in Beijing. Pliskova has qualified for Singapore and the WTA Finals but she would like to carry the winning momentum in the most prestigious year ending championships. The field in Linz may not be a strong one but it will provide her with a springboard to reach greater heights in Singapore.
Carla Suarez Navarro suffered a tough three-set loss to Caroline Wozniacki at the Pan Pacific Open, and in the following week in Wuhan, the Spaniard fell to Johanna Konta in two closely contested sets. Both losses came to players ranked below her, but even more disappointing was the stomping she got from Yaroslava Shvedova in the first round of China Open. It wasn’t just a mere defeat. The loss has almost crushed her prospects of playing in Singapore. Suarez Navarro won just 42 percent of her points and was broken five times as the Kazakh ran away with the match in just 72 minutes. The Spaniard has enjoyed a solid 2016 and was ranked as high as No. 6 at one point but completely lost the plot in the Asian swing. Winning the Linz Open may not help her qualify to Singapore but it will at least repair the damage someway.
Like Suarez Navarro, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was also knocked out in the first round of the China Open. Alison Riske took care of the world No. 17 Russian in straight sets. Pavlyuchenkova is the defending Linz Open champion, but she is coming from two straight first-round exits. The Muscovite was also upset early in Tokyo, losing to Elina Svitolina in straight sets. She is a less than decent 22-21 on the year but has still managed to be among the top 20 players. Apart from the quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon this year, Pavlyuchenkova’s overall results have been undistinguished. She may be the defending champion but given her recent struggles, another early exit cannot be ruled out.
Belinda Bencic had an incredible 2015 season and was expected to continue her magic in 2016. She peaked at No. 7 in February this year, but multiple injuries have totally derailed her season. She was beaten by Caroline Wozniacki in Tokyo but in Wuhan, against Svetlana Kuznetsova, she had to withdraw again with a lower-back injury. Linz Open has granted a wildcard to Bencic and it will be intriguing to see if that back injury continues to haunt her. If it doesn’t, she would be the one to beat.
TipsArena Linz
The TipsArena Linza has been around since 1974. The stadium court features 6,000 for tennis and provides an intimate indoor setting which enables this tournament to proceed smoothly. It’s a mainstay on the tour and in the sporting culture of Austria.
