Rogers wins biggest title yet at W100 Midland
Shelby Rogers claimed the biggest title of her career to date, albeit in unfortunate circumstances, after Anhelina Kalinina was forced to withdraw from their title decider at the W100 Midland tournament in Michigan, USA on Sunday.
The 2016 Roland Garros quarter-finalist, who had endured injury troubles of her own in recent years - missing 13 months between March 2018 and April 2019 with a knee injury - was gifted the title when it became apparent that Kalinina would be unable to compete in the championship match due to a right foot injury sustained earlier in the week.
"I am a little bit speechless right now. It is a little bit hard to accept and nobody wants to win this way," admitted Rogers, who, turning to Kalinina, added: "You were playing so well, and I was definitely preparing a little bit extra this morning to play you and bring my A game.
“Going through an injury is not what you want, but you know everything happens for a reason and I truly believe that.”
Rogers, who treated the crowd to an exhibition match against Yanina Wickmayer and ran out a 6-2 7-6(6) winner, was in fine form all week – defeating Kayla Day, Marine Partaud, Gabriela Talaba and Irina Falconi without dropping a set.
She added a sixth ITF title to her trophy cabinet, all of which have come on home soil in the USA, and recorded her second win since returning from her long injury lay-off having also triumphed at W60 Templeton in 2019.
Kalinina, meanwhile, had seen off No. 2 seed Caty McNally in the quarter-finals, and was understandably disappointed with her anti-climactic end to an otherwise promising week.
"There are no words to describe how I am feeling. I am so sorry,” said the 23-year-old Ukrainian, who would have been going for her 11th ITF title and the biggest of her career. "You have been here supporting me all week, so it is tough."
American duo Caroline Dolehide and Maria Sanchez won the doubles title, defeating Russia-Belgian duo Valeria Savinykh and Yanina Wickmayer 6-3 6-4. It was 21-year-old Dolehide’s third doubles triumph at W100 level, but Sanchez’s first – and first doubles title in eight years.