The Portuguese Maria João Koehler returned this Tuesday, October 18, to the international circuit for the first time in more than four years with a victory towards the quarterfinals of the doubles of the Loulé Ladies Open.
Just two days after having responded in the affirmative to the unexpected invitation of the Spanish Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers, the 30-year-old Portuguese (former number 102 in the WTA ranking) beat compatriot Sara Lance and Switzerland's Nicole Gadient in two matches, 6-2. and 6-0.
This Tuesday's meeting was Maria João Koehler's first since the 2020 National Absolute Championship, where she returned after a break of more than two years due to a knee injury that made her prematurely end her playing career at age 26. The last international tournament had been played in Porto in July 2018.
Qualified for the quarter finals, the Porto native - who currently works as a coach - will face the second seed Adrienn Nagy and Jacqueline Cabaj Awad in the quarter finals.
In addition to Maria João Koehler, there are four more Portuguese women qualified for the quarter-finals of the Loulé Ladies Open and two of them will reach the semi-finals.
Sisters Francisca Jorge and Matilde Jorge, who on Saturday won their sixth title of the season at The Campus Ladies Open, in Quinta do Lago, confirmed their status as first seed with a triumph over sisters Demi Tran and Lian Tran, from Netherlands, 6-1 and 6-1. And to them were added the wild cards Raquel Álvaro and Amália Suciu, who beat Portuguese Adriana Pellizzari and Brazilian Giulia Pereira de Aguiar by 6-3 and 6-4.
In the singles, Sara Lance (ranked 1221st in the WTA ranking) was held back in the last round of the qualifying by the Swiss Leonie Kung (521st), who confirmed the favoritism thanks to the partials of 6-0 and 7-5 in 1h28.
Thus, the Portuguese representation in the main group of singles of the Loulé Ladies Open will be in charge of five players: Francisca Jorge (324th), who was the only one to have direct entry, and the wild cards Matilde Jorge (735th), Ana Filipa Santos (878th), Angelina Voloshchuk (current national under 16 champion) and Adriana Pellizzari (player of the Loulé Tennis Club).
This $25 tournament, organized by Clube Ténis de Loulé, lasts until October 23, with the support of Loulé City Council and the Portuguese Tennis Federation.
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