A Week of Wild Tennis in Austin

The inaugural ATX Open wrapped up Sunday with a week of great matches, big crowds and a bright future. The brand-new Women's Tennis Association event was a big opportunity for Austin sports, and it looks to have paid off.

Monday

Before the action even kicked off, top-billed Emma Raducanu, winner of the 2021 US Open, had to withdraw due to illness. Hopefully she enjoyed her short time in Austin regardless.

Youngster Katie Volynets earned the first ever W of the ATX Open with a win over veteran Alison Riske-Amritraj. It took three sets, but a bagel (6-0) in the third pushed her to the next round over her fellow American. More to come with this one. The biggest stunner of the day was the defeat of American Alicia Parks by Swede Mirjam Bjorklund. The imposing Parks never found her rhythm in Austin, with the lower-seeded player sending her packing from singles play. (She'd continue on in doubles with partner Sloane Stephens.) The first seeded player was out.

The day ended late with a battle from local favorite Peyton Stearns. It took three tie breaks, but she bested Brit Katie Boulter late Monday night. Longhorn fans rejoiced.

Tuesday

Second-seed Shuai Zhang had to withdraw due to illness, and six seed Lauren Davis left due to injury, leaving only five seeded players remaining. The top eight had taken a hit.

And the hits continued. Top seed Magda Linette lost to young upstart Varvara Gracheva. It took three sets, but Linette couldn't get it done against the 20 year old from Russia. This would presage a very good week for her.

The much-anticipated meeting between American favorites Sloane Stevens and Taylor Townsend delighted fans, even if it ended much too quickly. Stevens proved out, taking Townsend in two. The new mother will have to continue her comeback elsewhere.

Crowd favorite Danielle Collins got all she could handle from Magdalena Frech of Poland. There were some tense moments as Collins had come back from losing a first-set tie break. Still, the nighttime crowd loved rooting her on.

The day started with an assault on the record book. Britain's Harriet Dart and Russian Erika Andreeva played the longest women's match of the entire year, going 3:32. The contest went to two tiebreaks and earned much love from the crowd.

Wednesday

Volynets continued her winning ways against Russian Anastasia Potapova, adding to her breakout week. Likewise, Stephens rolled against England's Heather Watson. Gracheva beat fellow countrywoman Anna Blinkova, setting up a big match with Stephens.

The day belonged to Stearns as the former Longhorn defeated Bjorkland in just two sets. The play was hard from both sides and the celebration raucous after the final point. The crowd got what it wanted late Wednesday.

Thursday

Much like Tuesday, the day started with an absolute battle between Germany's Anna-Lena Friedsam and Andreeva. Over the course of 3:11, including two tiebreaks, these players pushed to their physical and emotional limits. This match showed just how taxing the game of tennis could be, and the result was tremendous.

Twenty-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk took out fiesty American Madison Brengle in three, setting up a big match with Collins, who finally had an easy day at the office, offing American Caty McNally 6-1, 6-1.

Friday

After Thursday's battle royale, Friedsam didn't have enough in the tank to keep up with Kostyuk. She took the first set to a tiebreak, but after that, the Ukrainian rolled.

A contest of young Americans followed, with Volynets taking on Stearns. While the crowd tried to will the former NCAA champ to victory, it was Volynets who proved out this day, leaving Stearns with a great week of tennis that certainly pleased her fans.

Another American had trouble Friday as well. Stephens ran into seed-killer Gracheva, losing in two sets to the steady Russian who was just too good on this night.

Saturday

Semifinal Saturday did not disappoint. The final four put on on a show for big crowds throughout the day.

Collins finally ran into an opponent she couldn't overpower, as Kostyuk ended her run in two sets. The ever-intense Collins let her emotions get the better of her, earning a warning for racquet abuse as she slammed her Babolat into the bench after a missed point. Kostyuk earned her way into the finals with this impressive win.

The match of the entire tournament took place next, as Volynets and Gracheva battled to see who would be the one to face the victorious Ukrainian in the finals. Gracheva took the first set, but Volynets came back to win the second, with both players showing immense emotional fortitude to stay in the game. By the middle of the third, the Westwood Country Club was seeing absolute world-class tennis, with neither player giving an inch. It was a thing of beauty to watch. Ultimately, Gracheva came out ahead.

Sunday

The final was as much about celebrating the week as it was the match itself. While Gracheva had what was possibly the match of her life the day before, she wasn't up to the task of facing the persistent Kostyuk and fell in two tough sets.

When it was over, the young Ukrainian fell to the court in tears and set up an awards celebration for not only the players but the entire tournament.

Earlier in the week, one player noted that tournaments at this level don't usually feature crowds this big, an enormous compliment to the attendees as well as the organizers of the ATX Open. No long-term deals are in place yet, but if this week told the tale, Austin should get used to great tennis every March from here on out.