SAN JOSÉ, CA (August 1, 2022) – The opening day of the 2022 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic had a ton of star power on the court, but in the end, it was a qualifier in the final match of the night that stole the show.
Twenty-one-year-old American Elli Mandlik, the daughter of tennis legend Hana Mandlikova, defeated Alison Riske 6-3, 6-3 to win her first WTA singles match in her first WTA main draw appearance.
Mandlik, who was a late wild card entry into the qualifying tournament, has definitely made the most of her opportunity defeating Fernanda Contreras Gomez and World No. 21 Jil Teichmann over the weekend to reach Monday’s first round. She will now face World No. 4 Paula Badosa in the second round.
In the first match of the evening session, seventh-seeded Daria Kasatkina came back from a set down to defeat reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 1-6, 6-2, 6-0, and will next face qualifier Taylor Townsend in the second round. Townsend defeated fellow qualifier Storm Sanders in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.
The day session opened with American Amanda Anisimova advancing with a 6-2, 7-6(5) win over Ashlyn Krueger. Next up was former World No.1 and two-time Grand Slam finalist Karolina Pliskova who held off an upset bid from Katie Boulter with a 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 come-from-behind victory.
In the final match of the day session, 2017 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic Champion Madison Keys claimed victory over Zhang Shuai, 6-4, 6-2. Keys will face Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur at 7 pm on Wednesday night, in what will be a blockbuster match-up.
Tomorrow’s lineup includes an impressive group of players including four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka taking on Zheng Qinwen, and 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu facing Shelby Rogers during the day session. The evening session will feature Roland Garros finalist Coco Gauff versus Anhelina Kalinina.
Tickets for the 2022 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, August 1-7 at San José State University are available now at www.MubadalaSVC.com.
The Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic has a rich history as a groundbreaking event. Co-founded by the legendary sportswoman, visionary, and activist Billie Jean King, the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic was the first event of the historic 1971 women's professional tennis tour, a precursor to the WTA.
Created for women by women, the tournament's list of past champions reads like a who's who of tennis legends, including Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Venus Williams, and Kim Clijsters.
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ABOUT THE MUBADALA SILICON VALLEY CLASSIC: Co-founded by Billie Jean King in 1971, the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic is the longest-running women-only professional tennis tournament in the world. Owned and operated by IMG, the Hologic WTA Tour 500-level event is the first women's stop on the US Open Series and features a 28-player singles draw, and 16-team doubles draw.
ABOUT MUBADALA: Mubadala Investment Company is a sovereign investor managing a global portfolio aimed at generating sustainable financial returns for the Government of Abu Dhabi. Mubadala's $284 billion (AED 1045 billion) portfolio spans six continents with interests in multiple sectors and asset classes. We leverage our deep sectoral expertise and long-standing partnerships to drive sustainable growth and profit while supporting the continued diversification and global integration of the economy of the United Arab Emirates. For more information about Mubadala Investment Company, please visit: www.mubadala.com
ABOUT THE US OPEN SERIES: The US Open Series is a true "regular season" of summer tennis in North America, linking nine summers of WTA and ATP Tour tournaments to the US Open. The Series features a cohesive weekly schedule and centralizes how tennis is viewed across multiple television and digital platforms in North America. 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 various outreach initiatives, including grass-roots youth tennis clinics and activities.
ABOUT IMG: IMG is a global leader in sports, events, fashion, and media. The company manages some of the world's greatest athletes and fashion icons own and operates hundreds of live events annually and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in licensing, sports training, and league development. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, global sports, and entertainment company.
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.