Polona Hercog (born January 20, 1991) is a Slovenian tennis player. On September 13, 2010, she reached her highest ranking, No. 43 in singles and No. 58 in doubles. Hercog won two WTA Tour doubles title and reached one singles final. She also enjoyed success on the ITF Circuit, winning nine singles and five doubles titles. Partnering with Jessica Moore, she won the 2008 French Open and Wimbledon Championships junior titles in the doubles competition.
Polona Hercog in June 2023 | |
Country (sports) | |
---|---|
Residence | Maribor, Slovenia |
Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) |
Turned pro | 2006 |
Plays | Right-handed (two–handed backhand) |
Prize money | US$ 561,684 |
Singles | |
Career record | 39–45 (Tour level only) 162–83 |
Career titles | 0 WTA, 9 ITF |
Highest ranking | No. 43 (13 September 2010) |
Current ranking | No. 61 (28 March 2011) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | 2R (2010) |
French Open | 3R (2010) |
Wimbledon | 1R (2010) |
US Open | 1R (2009, 2010) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 30–30 (Tour level only) 63–47 |
Career titles | 2 WTA, 5 ITF |
Highest ranking | No. 59 (10 January 2011) |
Current ranking | No. 63 (7 March 2011) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | 1R (2010) |
French Open | 1R (2010) |
Wimbledon | 1R (2010) |
US Open | 3R (2010) |
Last updated on: 8 March 2011. |
Early and personal life
Polona Hercog was born to florist Romana and bar owner Vojko.[1] She began playing tennis aged four in the tennis clinic opened by Mima Jaušovec in Maribor, and moved to Italy at age 14 to train professionally.[2] Hercog is fluent in Slovenian, English, and Italian, and cites Justine Henin as her role model.[1] She currently resides in her hometown of Maribor and practices in Budapest.[3] Hercog is a fan of snowboarding, football, basketball and surfing.[4]
Tennis career
2007—2009
Hercog made her WTA Tour debut in Portorož, Slovenia, losing to Elena Vesnina in three sets, 6–3, 6–7(6), 6–4. In 2008, Hercog participated in the İstanbul Cup, where she lost in the first round to Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4, 7-5, but reached the finals of the doubles competition partnering with New Zealand's Marina Erakovic. The same year, Hercog and Australian Jessica Moore won two grand slam junior doubles titles, the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships. She also played the qualifications for the US Open, but lost to Sandra Záhlavová in the first round, 6–3, 6–3.[5]
Hercog entered the 2009 Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem via the qualifying rounds, and beat seventh seed Roberta Vinci to reach the quarterfinals, where she was defeated by Alisa Kleybanova. At that year's French Open she upset 23rd seeded Kleybanova 6–2, 4–6, 6–1, but was in turn beaten by Aravane Rezaï 3–6, 6–4, 6–2. At the US Open, Hercog was beaten by American wildcard Christina McHale 6–3, 6–1 in the first round. She also played the BGL Luxembourg Open, defeating Maria Elena Camerin 3–6, 7–5, 7–5 in the opening round. She then lost to Sabine Lisicki 7–6(1), 6–4.
2010
Hercog opened the season with early losses at her first three tournemtns, including a second round showing at the Australian Open, where she lost to Alona Bondarenko. After playing for Slovenia Fed Cup team, she won the ITF event in Cali, Colombia, but then suffered an opening round loss to Catalina Castaño at the Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas.
At the tournament in Acapulco, Mexico, Hercog reached her first WTA Tour singles final and won her first WTA Tour doubles title. She defeated Rossana de los Ríos 6–4, 6–1 in the first round, Alizé Cornet 6–4, 6–2 in the second, Ágnes Szávay retired from the quarterfinals match when Hercog was leading 6–4, 0–1, and Carla Suárez Navarro 6–3, 7–5 in the semifinals.[6] In the final, Hercog faced the first seed and former World No. 1 Venus Williams, and lost 6–2, 2–6, 3–6, despite winning the first set.[7] Partnering with Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová, she won her first Tour doubles title, beating the Italian team of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci 2–6, 6–1, [10–2].
At the 2010 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Hercog defeated Ioana Raluca Olaru 7–5, 6–4 in the first round and was defeated by 11th seed Marion Bartoli in the second round 6–4, 6–2.
Hercog caused an upset in the second round of the 2010 French Open by defeating #24 Lucie Šafářová.
In Portoroz, she reached the semi-finals, leading 6-0 1-0 against Anna Chakvetadze but then lost the match mentally 6-0 2-6 2-6, showing her lack of confidence and experience.
Seeded 6th at the 2010 e-Boks Danish Open in Copenhagen, she had a chance to take revenge on Anna Chakvetadze as they met in the quarterfinals. Hercog lost the match, this time in straight sets 4-6, 3-6.
2011
Hercog began the year with three straight losses, including a first-round loss at the 2011 Australian Open to Anastasija Sevastova. In Fed Cup against Germany, she split her singles rubbers, defeating Julia Görges but losing to Andrea Petkovic. She has reportedly split with her long-time coach, Zoltan Kuharsky.[citation needed] She lost in the first rounds of clay tournaments in Bogota and Acapulco, where she had reached the final in 2010. She then reached the semifinals of Monterrey, where she lost to Jelena Jankovic.
Career statistics
WTA Tour singles finals (0–1)
|
|
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
Runner-up | 1. | 27 February 2010 | Clay | 2–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
WTA Tour doubles finals (2–1)
Legend: Before 2009 | Legend: Starting in 2009 |
---|---|
Grand Slam (0/0) | |
Olympic Gold (0/0) | |
WTA Championships (0/0) | |
Tier I (0/0) | Premier Mandatory (0/0) |
Tier II (0/0) | Premier 5 (0/0) |
Tier III (0/1) | Premier (0/0) |
Tier IV & V (0/0) | International (2/0) |
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
Runner-up | 1. | 19 May 2008 | Clay | 6–1, 6–2 | |||
Winner | 1. | 28 February 2010 | Clay | 2–6, 6–1, [10–2] | |||
Winner | 2. | 26 September 2010 | Hard | 6–3, 6–4 |
Grand Slam junior doubles finals (2–0)
Outcome | Year | Championships | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
Winner | 2008 | French Open | Clay | 5–7, 6–1, [10–7] | ||
Winner | 2008 | The Championships, Wimbledon | Grass | 6–3, 1–6, 6–2 |
Fed Cup singles performances (5–4)
Edition | Round | Date | Against | Surface | Opponent | W/L | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2007 Europe/Africa Zone Group I | Playoffs SF | 21–04–07 | Clay | Loss | 3–6, 6–3, 2–6 | ||
2008 Europe/Africa Zone Group I | RR | 01–02–08 | Carpet | Win | 6–7(3), 7–6(5), 7–5 | ||
2010 Europe/Africa Zone Group I | RR | 03–02–10 | Hard | Loss | 1–6, 4–6 | ||
RR | 04–02–10 | Hard | Win | 6–7, 7–5, 6–2 | |||
PPO | 06–02–10 | Hard | Win | 6–4, 6–1 | |||
2010 World Group II | Playoffs QF | 24–04–10 | Clay (i) | Win | 3–6, 6–1, 6–3 | ||
Playoffs QF | 25–04–10 | Loss | 4–6, 2–6 | ||||
World Group II | 1R | 05–02–11 | Clay (i) | Win | 7–5, 6–4 | ||
06–02–11 | Loss | 1–6, 2–6 |
Fed Cup doubles performances (2–1)
Edition | Round | Date | Partnering | Against | Surface | Opponents | W/L | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2007 Europe/Africa Zone Group I | RR | 19–04–07 | Clay | Win | 1–6, 6–1, 6–4 | |||
2008 Europe/Africa Zone Group I | RR | 31–01–08 | Carpet | Loss | 1–6, 3–6 | |||
2010 Europe/Africa Zone Group I | RR | 03–02–10 | Hard | Win | 6–1, 7–6(7) | |||
PPO | 06–02–10 | Clay | Win | W/O |
- PPO = Promotional Play–offs
- NP = Not Played
- W/O = Walkover; this win doesn't count as a win in official statistics
Singles performance timeline
Tournament | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | Career Win-Loss | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slams | ||||||||||
A | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | 1–2 | ||||
A | A | A | 2R | 3R | 3–2 | |||||
A | A | A | LQ | 1R | 0–1 | |||||
A | A | LQ | 1R | 1R | 0–2 | |||||
Win-Loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 0–1 | 4–7 | |||
Premier Mandatory | ||||||||||
A | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | 1–1 | ||||
A | A | A | A | 3R | 2–1 | |||||
Not Held | A | 1R | 0–1 | |||||||
Tier II | Premier | 2R | 1–1 | |||||||
Win-Loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–4 | 0–0 | 4–4 | |||
Premier 5 | ||||||||||
A | A | A | A | 2R | 1–1 | |||||
A | A | A | A | 1R | 0–1 | |||||
Win-Loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | |||
Premier | ||||||||||
A | A | A | A | 1R | 0–1 | |||||
A | A | Not Held | A | 2R | 1–1 | |||||
Win-Loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | |||
International series | ||||||||||
A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 0–1 | ||||
A | A | A | A | 1R | A | 0–1 | ||||
A | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | 1–2 | ||||
A | A | A | A | F | 1R | 4–2 | ||||
Not Held | A | 2R | SF | 4–2 | ||||||
Not Held | 2R | 2R | 2–2 | |||||||
A | A | A | QF | A | 2–1 | |||||
A | A | A | A | QF | 2–1 | |||||
A | A | A | 2R | QF | 2–2 | |||||
LQ | 1R | 1R | 1R | SF | 3–4 | |||||
A | A | 1R | 1R | A | 0–2 | |||||
Not Held | QF | 2–1 | ||||||||
A | A | A | A | 1R | 0–1 | |||||
A | A | A | LQ | 1R | 0–1 | |||||
A | A | A | 2R | QF | 2-2 | |||||
Win-Loss | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 5–6 | 16–12 | 4-4 | 24–25 | |||
Fed Cup | ||||||||||
Europe/Africa I & World Group II | A | SF | 1R | A | PO | QF | - | |||
Win-Loss | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 3-2 | 1-1 | 5-4 | |||
Statistics | ||||||||||
Tour Level Win-Loss | 0–0 | 0-2 | 1–2 | 6–8 | 27-26 | 5–6 | 39–44 | |||
Tour Level Win % | 0% | 0% | 33% | 43% | 51% | 45% | 47% | |||
Overall Win-Loss | 14–7 | 26-8 | 37–16 | 48–18 | 32–26 | 5–7 | 162–82 | |||
Overall Win % | 67% | 76% | 70% | 73% | 55% | 42% | 66% | |||
Year End Ranking | 717 | 345 | 243 | 71 | 48 | N/A |
- * Statistics correct as of March 8, 2011.
References
- ^ a b Sony Ericsson WTA Tour | Players | Info (Biography) | Polona Hercog
- ^ Official Website: About Polona
- ^ Official Website: Interview with Polona
- ^ Polona Hercog at the International Tennis Federation
- ^ 2008 US Open Qualifying Draw at the International Tennis Federation
- ^ Sony Ericsson WTA Tour: Hercog Awaits In Final (26 February 2010)
- ^ Sony Ericsson WTA Tour: Venus: Queen of Acapulco (27 February 2010)
External links
- Official Website
- Polona Hercog at the Women's Tennis Association
- {{ITF profile}} template using deprecated numeric ID.
- Template:ITF junior profile