ITF Grade 1 in College Park MD Canceled; Update on Draw Sizes, Schedule for Western & Southern Open; 13-Year-Old Fruhvirtova Beats Siniakova in Czech Republic Exhibition

Although still appearing on the ITF's junior schedule, the ITF Grade 1 in College Park Maryland, scheduled for August 24-29, has been canceled.  With all other ITF sanctioned events in the US already canceled early last week, and the USTA National Hard Courts canceled this week, there was no reason to expect the College Park event would be held and today I confirmed with the JTCC, which hosts the event, that it has been canceled for this year. I had heard the ITF would be making a formal announcement about its junior calendar this week, but so far that announcement has not materialized.

The only high-level tennis expected in the United States in August is at the WTA and ATP level. The Western & Southern Open, which has been moved from Cincinnati to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York the week before the US Open, sent out an update today on its draw sizes and schedule.

Both men's and women's singles draws will be 56 players, with first round byes to the top 8 seeds. Thirty-nine players will be direct acceptances as of the July 27 deadline, with 12 qualifiers and four wild cards, as well as one special exemption for the ATP's Washington event, if needed. The WTA, which will not have a special exemption, has five wild cards.

The qualifying draws will be 48 players, with two wins necessary to advance. There are six wild cards for the men's qualifying and five wild cards for the women's qualifying. The entry deadline is August 3 for qualifying.

Qualifying is scheduled for Thursday and Friday August 20th and 21st, with the first round of the main draw set for Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd.

Tennis Channel and ESPN will share the broadcast coverage.

For additional details, including those for doubles competition, see this article.

Big day for young IMG client Brenda Fruhvirtova, at only 13 years old beating world #54 ranked Katerina Siniakova 7-6 6-1 during the Czech exhibition tennis league today! #IMGFam #NextGen pic.twitter.com/inkNEsApDz

— IMG Tennis (@IMGTennis) July 16, 2020

Brenda Fruhvirtova turned 13 in April, meaning the 2020 Les Petits As champion is now eligible to compete on the ITF Junior Circuit, were any such tournaments being played. She has gotten the opportunity to compete in the women's Czech Republic exhibitions for the past several weeks however, and today she picked up a huge win, beating WTA No. 54 Katerina Siniakova 7-6(5), 6-1. Fruhvirtova will advance out of her round robin group if she beats 17-year-old Darja Vidmanova, who is currently No. 40 in the ITF World Junior rankings, Friday.