Alycia Parks won her first WTA< title, in Lyon, beating top seed and home favorite Caroline Garcia in the final, 7-6(7) 7-5.
Parks has now extended her indoor unbeaten run to 15 consecutive matches, dating back to a WTA challenger in Andorra last year.
Parks rose to the attention of tennis fans last year in Ostrava, when she picked up two big wins over former No.1 Karolina Pliskova and Top 10 player Maria Sakkari.
She has continued this form into 2023, rising from No.150 to just outside the world’s top 50 after winning her debut WTA 250 title.
“It feels amazing to hold my first WTA tour-level championship trophy,” Parks said after her victory. “Words can’t explain. Just last year, I was in an [ITF Challenger] $60,000 final, and now I have won a WTA 250.”
Parks really utilised her serve in France having hit 52 aces in her five matches, including 15 in the final against Garcia.
“I made sure I focused on my service games today to get through the match, because I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy match,” said the 22-year-old. “So just staying within myself, and fighting for every point, and that got me through the match.”
The serve was not the only thing that helped Parks obtain her a maiden tour title, as she also hit an incredible winner in her second round match against Petra Martic, to which her Croatian opponent applauded.
Tweener. Lob. Winner.
👏 @TheRealAParks 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5kt3RMjoQ4
— wta (@WTA) February 1, 2023
Alycia Parks’ run to the Lyon title
The American’s run to the title was not plain sailing, as she had to face three seeds along the way including the world No.5 Garcia, which was her first ever top 5 win.
Round 1 – Defeated Julia Grabher, 6-3 5-7 6-4
Round 2 – Defeated Petra Martic (4), 2-6 7-6(3) 6-2
Quarterfinal – Defeated Danka Kovinic (7), 7-5 6-2
Semifinal – Defeated Maryna Zanevska, 6-3 7-6(4)
Final – Defeated Caroline Garcia (1), 7-6(7) 7-5
Parks is scheduled to continue on her favourite indoor courts this week, in Linz, where she has a first round match with fourth seed Anhelina Kalinina. The two have played once before at an ITF event, with the Ukrainian getting the better of Parks in that encounter.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
