Cassar earns WTA ranking

Following her successful performance at the $10,000 ITF tournament in Monastir, Tunisia, Kim Cassar earned a WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) professional ranking of 1,034.

This is a first for women’s tennis on our shores.

In Tunisia, Cassar, sponsored by Babolat, reached the quarter-finals of the tournament following four successive victories, two in the qualifying stage and two others in the main draw.

She started off with a 6-1 6-0 win over Mouna Jebri, of Tunisia, and followed that up with a commendable performance against Italian Silvia Albano (WTA ranking: 906) whom she beat 6-1 6-2.

In the first round from the main draw, Cassar eliminated Sasha Khabibulina, of Belarus, (WTA ranking: 910) 6-1 7-6.

In another sound display, the Maltese girl beat Josanne van Bennekom, of The Netherlands (WTA ranking: 641) 6-3 6-2.

In the quarter-finals, Cassar was paired with Latvia’s Diana Marcinkevica (WTA ranking: 549). After going 4-1 down following a rather shaky start, Cassar regrouped and won the first set 7-5. Marcinkevica hit back strongly though and won the second set 6-3.

The final set, however, was not much of a contest as Cassar, clearly struggling with a hamstring injury she had sustained at the end of the second set, lost it 6-1.

With the competitive season now drawing to a close, Cassar’s focus has already shifted on the 2011 campaign where she will be pursuing her participation in international tournaments to keep improving her WTA ranking.