Reaching the top-10 is every tennis player’s dream, but the status as a top-10 player does have its drawbacks according for French Open semifinalist Timea Bacsinszky.
The 26-year-old Swiss player enjoyed a triumphant 2015 with a duo of WTA titles in Acapulco and Monterrey followed by a semifinal appearance at the French Open. Then toward the end of the season, she reached her first final at a premier mandatory event in Beijing. The breakthrough 2015 season elevated the Swiss played inside the top ten of the WTA rankings for the first time in her career. Finishing the year at 12th, Bacsinszky received the unexpected news that she would be treated as a top-10 player in 2016 due to a technicality.
“Few people know this.” Bacsinszky told Swiss-German newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
“But because Serena Williams has been already over 30 years old, she is exempt from the WTA obligations, and also Flavia Pennetta retired.”
Being treated like a top-10 appeared like a dream come true for the Swiss player, who took time away from the sport to work in the Hospitality industry earlier in her career. In reality the new responsibility had a massive impact on her 2016 scheduling commitments. Under WTA rules, players’ ranked inside the top 10 must participate in at least four premier mandatory and four Premier 5 tournaments within one season. Bacsinszky admitted that she didn’t want to start her 2016 season at a big tournament, but was unable to due to her new status.
“I wanted to first start at the smaller tournaments in Shenzhen and Hobart against weaker opponents, but that did not work.” The 26-year-old said.
The scheduling commitment meant that she couldn’t travel to Mexico to defending either of her titles in Monterrey and Acapulco. Instead, she played at the Qatar Open (Premier 5 tournament) where she reached the third round before losing to eventual champion Carla Suarez Navarro.
“I had wanted to play there (Mexico). For the spectators, it was incomprehensible that the defending champion did not come.” She stated.
This week at the BNP Paribas Open, Baczinsky is seeded 12th in the tournament. In her opening match she defeated Tsvetana Pironkova 6-2, 6-1, to claim only her fourth win on the tour this year. She will experience a tricky second round match against Eugenie Bouchard.
Timea Bacsinszky’s start to 2016
Brisbane International – lost in the first round to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Sydney Open – Lost in the first round to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
Australian Open – Reached second round before losing to Annika Beck
Fed Cup (against Germany) – lost in straight sets to Angelique Kerber and Annika Beck
Qatar Open – won back-to-back matches in a tournament for the first time this year to reach the third round
Indian Wells – Currently participating in
