ERSA Pro Stringer Issue 1-2018 ProStringer_0118_web | Page 30

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INDUSTRY NEWS
Babos and Kostyuk continue hot 2018 start
New member to Team Yonex, Timea Babos, captured
her 3rd WTA singles title at the 2018 Taiwan Open.
The hard-hitting Hungarian has been seeing
amazing results since her switch to Yonex. The title
comes after a strong 2018 start, with a quarterfinal
showing in Shenzhen, a first Top 10 singles win and
Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open.
Babos described this incredible run as an “amazing
5 1/2 weeks.” Ever since the change to the VCORE SV,
the Hungarian has found confidence in her game
commenting that her racquet has “excellent speed
and control, which lets me trust my shots.”
In women’s doubles, the pair of Ying-Ying Duan/
Yafan Wang got the better of Nao Hibino/Oksana
Kalashnikova pair in a VCORE showdown. The
tournament was full of Yonex news as Yonex served as
the official ball and official stringer during the event.
15 year-old Marta Kostyuk continues to shine in the pro tour spotlight. The teenager came away victorious on
the ITF Women’s Circuit with her 2nd title at the Caterpillar Burnie International in Australia. The win comes right
after the young Ukrainian captured the hearts of tennis fans during her stunning 7-match win streak for a 3rd
round showing at the Australian Open, making her the youngest player to make the 3rd round of the tournament
since Martina Hingis in 1996. The title has launched Kostyuk to World No. 185 in the rankings, making her the
youngest female within the Top 200. As she transitions from the junior to professional tournaments, the WTA
Tour will become her primary battleground as her ranking surges upwards.
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ERSA PRO STRINGER // ISSUE 1-2018