Top-seeded in both singles and doubles, Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic continued her dominance in Templeton on Thursday as she was the only player in both events to advance on with two dominating victories at the Central Coast Tennis Pro Open.
The 24-year-old Golubic from Zurich – currently ranked No. 120 in the WTA World Tour rankings – defeated former University of Notre Dame graduate and USTA tournament wild card Quinn Gleason, 6-1, 6-1, and then teamed with countrywoman Amra Sadikovic to beat Madeleine Kobelt and Chanel Simmonds, 6-4, 6-1, to advance to Friday’s semifinals in doubles in the $60,000 USTA Women’s Pro Circuit event taking place at the Templeton Tennis Ranch.
In the night match, local Gonzaga junior Sophie Whittle from Nipomo fell to former Wimbledon Junior Girls’ winner Laura Robson, 7-6 (1), 6-0. Whittle was supported by a large contingent of local tennis fans and was warmed up by her brother Eli before the match.
Former USC All-American Maria Sanchez continued her solid play as last weekend’s finalist at the Albuquerque $80,000 Pro Circuit event downed Great Britain’s Naomi Broady, the tournament’s No. 6 seed, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.
Sanchez came into the match 1-1 lifetime against Broady having beaten her on the hardcourts in 2015, and suffering a close two-tiebreaker loss on grass earlier this summer at a $100,000 England event.
Sanchez on Friday faces top-seeded Golubic in the quarterfinals. Sanchez just last week beat Golubic in Albuquerque in a tense three-set first-round match that ended 11-9 in the final-set tiebreaker in favor of Sanchez.
Tournament wild-card and No. 5 seeded Taylor Townsend has dropped just four games in four singles sets during her stay in Templeton. On Thursday she advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Louisa Chirico in exactly one hour, 6-2, 6-1.
Another American moved on to the final eight as No 4-seeded Sachia Vickery came back to beat Japan’s Mari Osaka, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Vickery said watching her friends Sloane Stephens and Madison Keyes play in the US Open final has given her added inspiration.
“I’ve known Sloane since I was little and have trained with her in Florida,” Vickery said. “It was really a great day for American tennis.” Vickery is next head to Europe to play in two WTA events, and then will play three Pro Circuit events in Macon, Ga., Tyler, Texas and Waco, Texas, to close out the year.
There is no cost to watch the exciting pro tennis for fans on Friday night. But later in the evening on Friday night the cost is $10, and that’s the same admission cost for Saturday and Sunday for the semifinals and finals. Children 12 and under are free.