SAN JOSÉ, CA (July 28, 2019) -- American Kristie Ahn booked the last of four qualifying spots in the main draw of the 2019 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic with a win over compatriot Danielle Lao. Ahn joins top qualifying seed Timea Babos, France's Harmony Tan, and Mayo Hibi of Japan, in locking up spots on Sunday.
Ahn and Lao, who played each other in college as members of the rival Stanford and USC women's tennis teams, were the final course of an exciting day of qualifying. Ahn raced out to a quick lead in the opening frame, claiming it 6-1 in just 35 minutes. Lao put up a fight in the second despite receiving multiple visits from the trainer, but Ahn got the decisive break to go up 5-4 in the second and held serve to seal the match 6-1, 6-4. Ahn advances to her third main draw appearance in San José, where she will face Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.
Two-time Grand Slam doubles champion and top qualifying seed Timea Babos was the first to punch her ticket after her opponent, En-Shuo Liang, retired with Babos leading 5-2 in the first set. Babos moves through to the main draw where she takes on fellow qualifier Mayo Hibi.
Hibi had to stage a furious comeback to book her spot, regrouping after a first set loss and surviving a nail-biting second set tiebreaker to beat Wang Xiyu 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2.
Harmony Tan also found a path to victory from a set down against Priscilla Hon of Australia. Hon took the opening set, but Tan stormed back to win the second and only lost one game in the decider for a final score of 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, to advance. She will play two-time Australian Open champ Victoria Azarenka on Tuesday afternoon.
Now entering its 49th year, the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic is a weeklong WTA Premier event bringing the worlds of tennis and technology together in a festival of sports and entertainment. Highlighting the best the region has to offer, the tournament showcases locally sourced cuisine, fine wine and cheese selections, interactive fan exhibitions, premier hospitality options, and of course, incredible tennis action.
Featuring a 28-player singles draw as well as a 16-team doubles draw the tournament boasts $876,183 in prize money and serves as the opening women's event of the US Open Series.
With several different ticket options available, the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic has something for everyone. To purchase tickets go to www.MubadalaSVC.com or call 1-866-982-8497.
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ABOUT THE MUBADALA SILICON VALLEY CLASSIC: The Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic is the longest-running women-only professional tennis tournament in the world and is the first women's stop of the US Open Series. Owned and operated by IMG, the WTA Premier event features a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw with total prize money of $876,183.
ABOUT MUBADALA: Mubadala Investment Company actively manages a worldwide portfolio supporting the vision of a globally integrated and diversified economy, through sustainable returns to its shareholder, the Government of Abu Dhabi. In March 2018, Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) joined the Group. Mubadala's US $225 billion portfolio spans five continents with interests in aerospace, ICT, semiconductors, metals and mining, renewable energy, oil and gas, petrochemicals, utilities, healthcare, real estate, defense services, pharmaceuticals and medical technology, agribusiness and a global portfolio of financial holdings. Mubadala is a trusted partner, an engaged shareholder and a responsible global company that is committed to ethics and world-class standards. For more information about Mubadala, please visit: www.mubadala.com.
ABOUT THE US OPEN SERIES: Now in its 16th season, the world's best players on the WTA and ATP Tour are coming together for the US Open Series. Linking seven summer WTA and ATP Tour tournaments to the US Open, the US Open Series serves as a true "regular season" of hard court tennis. Featuring a cohesive schedule, the Series centralizes the way tennis is viewed in North America, across multiple television and digital platforms. Fans will see today's top champions go head-to-head with tomorrow's emerging stars, as storylines develop throughout the summer season. Each tournament also engages its local community with a variety of outreach initiatives, including grass-roots youth tennis clinics and activities.
ABOUT IMG: IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company manages some of the world's greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in sports training and league development, as well as marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. IMG is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network.
ABOUT SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY: The founding campus of the 23-campus California State University system, San José State provides a comprehensive university education, granting bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 250 areas of study -- offered through its eight colleges. With more than 33,000 students and nearly 4,370 employees, San José State University continues to be an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley and the state, annually contributing 10,000 graduates to the workforce. The university is immensely proud of the accomplishments of its more than 260,000 alumni, 60 percent of whom live and work in the Bay Area.