Vote: April Breakthrough Of The Month
April was defined by three breakthrough players who brought some impressive performances on and off the court. Which one soared the highest?
Have a look at the nominees for April’s Breakthrough Performance of the Month and cast your vote before Thursday at 11:59pm ET! The winner will be announced Friday, May 6.
April 2016 WTA Breakthrough Performance of the Month Finalists:
Laura Siegemund: In the midst of a breakthrough season, Siegemund announced herself to the tennis world in a big way at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, where she reached the finals as a qualifier. Brushing past the likes of Simona Halep, Roberta Vinci, and Agnieszka Radnwaks – all in straight sets – the German veteran who wrote a thesis on the psychology of athletes’ mental strength showed impressive grit and determination to ride the wave of momentum and home support into her first WTA singles final. Should she maintain her No.4 standing in her country’s race to the Olympic Games, she could well qualify for Rio by the French Open.
Cagla Buyukakcay: Speaking of hometown favorites, Cagla Buyukakcay made Turkish history in front of an enthusiastic Istanbul crowd to win the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup. All in one week, Buyukakcay became the first Turkish woman to reach a WTA semifinal, final, and title at the expense of Danka Kovinic in three grueling sets. The result helped her crack the Top 100 for the first time in her career, and guarantee a Wimbledon main draw debut later this year.
Irina Falconi: Falconi had an emotional run of her own at the Claro Open Colsanitas, taking out clay court specialist Lara Arruabarrena to win her first career WTA title at 25 years old. A former college star at Georgia Tech, Falconi’s win came on the heels of a devestating earthquake that ravaged her birthplace of Portoviejo, Ecuador. Vowing to do all she can to help, the American has already raised over $20,000 in relief money.
2016 Winners:
January: Zhang Shuai
February: Jelena Ostapenko
March: Nicole Gibbs
How it works:
Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com