Avanesyan warms up for Roland Garros with W100 Wiesbaden triumph
Elina Avanesyan has reason to celebrate. Not only did she lift silverware at W100 Wiesbaden on Sunday to claim the biggest title of her career, the 20-year-old is also now within striking distance of the Top 100 after surging up the WTA rankings.
Avanesyan defeated Australia’s Jaimee Fourlis 6-2 6-0 during a one-sided final to seal the fifth ITF World Tennis Tour title of her career, but first since August 2021 when she topped the podium at W60 Versmold.
Germany, and indeed clay – all of her previous tournament wins at professional level have come on the surface – once again proved a happy hunting ground for Avanesyan, who has risen to No. 123 in the world rankings as a result.
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This is one slot shy of her career-high, which she achieved in July last year, but a jump of 43 places since the rankings were last updated before the Madrid Open on 24 April.
With Roland Garros qualifying starting on 22 May, W100 Wiesbaden – the first of three successive clay-court W100 events in Europe, also provided Avanesyan with a timely boost ahead of the year’s second Grand Slam.
Avanesyan has entered qualifying in Paris and will bid to reach the main draw at Roland Garros for the first time, having made her main draw Grand Slam debut at the 2022 US Open, where she succumbed to Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic.
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For now, however, Avanesyan can bask in the glory of a commanding victory, which saw her defeat Germany’s Ella Seidel, Amina Anshba, Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia and Sinja Kraus of Austria on her way to the final. Indeed, in the semi and final, she lost just four games.
“I am very proud of myself this week,” said Avanesyan. “Thank you to everyone in Wiesbaden for a wonderful tournament, and thanks to everyone for all your support, especially to my team. I am so lucky to have you.”