Feliciano Lopez hasn’t missed a major in seventeen years. The contrast story to Lopez is the WTA player who went eleven years between major appearances.
Kristi Ahn qualifed at 2008 US Open as a sixteen year old junior, losing to world no. 2 Dinara Safina 63 64 in the first round. That year Ahn also lost in the second round of juniors to Coco Vandeweghe.
The New Jersey girl bypassed turning pro and played at Stanford University where her four year career was besieged by injuries.
She won three ITF titles in 2008 and 2009 and then endured a dry spell until 2015 when she won her next two ITF titles. Two more came in 2017. Overall her singles career has been a disappointment.
Her best WTA singles ranking was 105 in January 2018. Currently the 27 year old is ranked 189.
From 2010 to 2015, Ahn didn’t even play qualifying at any majors.
This week at Wimbledon, Ahn’s fortunes have suddenly changed course. She defeated Naomi Broady 76 76, T. Korpatsch 62 60 and today Lauren Davis 64 75. She will play main draw at Wimbledon next week, her first Grand Slam in over a decade.
What a terrific story to see Ahn creating her extraordinary comeback this week at Wimbledon.
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Scoop Malinowski · July 1, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Ahn’s 11 year wait for his first major main draw win will have to wait more, she lost today to Sevastova in SS. 64 63. I think the same score that she lost to Dinara Safina at US Open.