Odd similarities between Alycia Parks' and Serena Williams' maiden WTA singles titles
Alycia Parks, 22 years old, won her maiden WTA singles title at the Lyon Open by defeating top seed Caroline Garcia 7-6(7), 7-5 in the final.
The American entered unseeded in the tournament but produced a string of brilliant performances to set up a title clash against Garcia. The first set went to a tie-break and Parks saved a set point to win it 9-7.
The second set was a tightly contested one. But the 22-year-old saved three break points in the 11th game before making the only break of the match to win it 7-5 and clinch the Lyon Open.
Alycia Parks thus won her maiden WTA singles title and there are a lot of similarities between her and Serena Williams' first career title.
For starters, both players clinched their respective maiden singles titles at an indoor tournament in France - Williams in Paris and Parks in Lyon.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion won the 1999 Open Gaz de France by beating France's Amelie Mauresmo 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4) in the final. Parks also beat a Frenchwoman in Caroline Garcia to win the Lyon Open.
Another similarity between the two players' maiden singles titles is that both defeated the seventh-seeded player in the quarterfinals. Serena Williams had triumphed 6-2, 6-3 over Julie Halard-Decugis while Alycia Parks beat Danka Kovinic 7-5, 6-2.
However, Serena was just 17 when she won her maiden title. That's one area where Parks is behind her illustrious compatriot.
Alycia Parks' journey to her maiden WTA singles title
Alycia Parks entered the Lyon Open unseeded after failing to qualify for the main draw of the Australian Open. She did not have the strongest start to the WTA 250 event and took three sets to beat Julia Grabher 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the first round.
Parks then came back from a set down to beat fourth seed Petra Martic 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 and seal her place in the quarterfinals. Here, she defeated Danka Kovinic 7-5, 6-4 and then triumphed 6-3, 7-6(4) over Maryna Zanevska to reach her maiden WTA singles final.
The talented American beat Caroline Garcia 7-6(7), 7-5 in 2 hours and 6 minutes to win her maiden WTA singles title.
She also competed in the women's doubles tournament at the Lyon Open, partnering with Zhang Shuai. The duo were the top seeds and reached the quarterfinals by beating Georgina Garcia Perez and Andrea Gamiz 4-6, 6-3 [10-2]. However, they lost 6-2, 6-7(3), [10-2] to eventual champions Cristina Bucsa and Bibiane Schoofs.
Alycia Parks will next compete at the Linz Open in Austria where she will be up against fourth seed Anhelina Kalinina in the first round.