Unseeded Daria Gavrilova, a Russian-born Australian, upset second-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia to win her first career Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title.
The victory by Gavrilova on August 26 by a score of 4-6 6-3 6-4 gave her the title of the Connecticut Open in New Haven, which will serve as a warm-up for the U.S. Open beginning on August 28.
Gavrilova, 23, will face U.S. qualifier and 633rd-ranked Allie Kiick in the first round of the U.S. Open.
Gavrilova began playing for Australia in 2015 after moving from her native Russia at age 18.
At the U.S. Open, Russia’s Maria Sharapova will compete in her first Grand Slam event since her 15-month suspension on doping charges.
Sharapova, who received a wild-card invitation, will face second-ranked Simona Halep of Romania at 7 p.m. on August 28 in New York.
Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion, will face Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic in the first round.
Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina will face Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
