Mayar Sherif failed to defend the title, she was outplayed by a young American tennis player, who is playing her first WTA final.
The Makarska Open hosted by Valamar ended with the victory of American tennis player Katie Volynets. She beat last year's winner of the tournament, Egyptian Mayar Sherif, in an excellent final.
Organizationally the best tournament so far, this is its third edition in Makarska, eight in total organized by Feliks Lukas, who brought great female tennis players to the city under Biokovo this year as well. Among them, as many as seven Croatian representatives, which is a record number of our female tennis players who played in a WTA tournament. Of them, Petra Martić went the farthest, she lost in the semifinals to the excellent Sherif, who was considered one of the favorites from the beginning.
The Egyptian entered the final match very well and for a moment it seemed that Katie Volynets, the 108 tennis player in the world, did not have much of a chance. The Egyptian won the first set with a score of 6:3. But the American returned to the game already at the beginning of the second set and perfectly matched Sherif, who is currently the 53rd player in the world. Volynets won the second set with a score of 6:2 and continued excellently in the third set. Mayar did not have an adequate answer, so Katie won the third set with 6:1 and thus celebrated in Makarska.
"Thank you to everyone who came and watched this match. I am very grateful for the energy you have brought. It's wonderful here. Congratulations Mayar on a great week. This was my first WTA final and playing against her was an exceptional experience. I would like to thank the tournament director Feliks Lukas, the judges, the ball collectors and everyone in the organization who are responsible for the realization of this tournament. Thank you for organizing the tournament in such a wonderful location by the sea. When I arrived in Makarska it was already night and I didn't see what kind of view I had from my room, but when I saw the sea in the morning I wanted to stay here as long as possible and I am grateful that it happened. Thank you to my coach Alejandro Dulko and my family who support me every day", Volynets breathlessly said to whom the trophy was presented by the State Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Tomislav Družak.
Mayar Sherif pointed out that she played a great streak.
"We haven't stopped for ten weeks and I'm very happy to finish my season here in Makarska. I was here last year as well and I have great memories. You were amazing, the beaches are wonderful, the city is irresistible, so I plan to come back next year as well", said Sherif after the second place trophy was awarded to her by the mayor of Makarska, Zoran Paunović.
No one at the final was prouder than director Lukas.
"I would like to thank these superb tennis shoes. I think this final was much better than the one in Paris at Roland Garros. Thank you for allowing us to watch great tennis in Makarska. According to Jasmine Paolina, whoever plays the final in Makarska will play the final in Paris. If you win, come here to celebrate, Makarska is waiting for you. Thank you for a great week and thank you to the audience who came to the final. You are the best audience in the world. Thanks to my team, without them the tournament would not have been this successful. Thank you to the sponsors and partners who supported us when it was most important. We will be even better in the years to come," said Lukas.
Photo by Bogdan Klarić
Makarska, 9. lipnja 2024.
