July 21, 2018
Recent San Jose State University graduate Sybille Gauvain, the #1-singles player on the Spartans' women's tennis team the last four seasons, will be representing her alma mater in the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic's singles qualifying round tournament.
Hosted at the Spartan Tennis Complex on the university's South Campus, Gauvain (pronounced Go-van) is one of 16 players playing Saturday, July 28, and possibly, Sunday, July 29, for one of four berths in the singles main draw.
Gauvain will face Anna Blinkova of Russia, ranked #101 in the world, on the brand new 4,000-seat Stadium Court in the Spartan Tennis Complex. Match time is approximately 11:00 a.m.
"It's amazing," she expressed recently upon learning of the opportunity to compete in a tournament that features 11 of the top-50 ranked players in the world headlined by #28-Serena Williams, #14-Venus Williams and defending tournament champion #12-Madison Keys. The qualifying tournament has Women's Tennis Association (WTA) ranked players from 11 countries.
The Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic runs July 30 through August 5 and is the first stop in a five-tournament tour leading up to the U.S. Open in New York in September.
The business administration major from France was a model student-athlete. She graduated with cum laude honors, was a key member in San Jose State's Mountain West conference championship season in 2017 and finished her college career tied for third on Spartans' list for combined singles and doubles tennis victories with 132 in 3.5 seasons.
An Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) ranked singles player and seven-time All-Mountain West singles and doubles honoree during her career, Gauvain turned pro after graduation and will be playing in her third tournament as a professional.
"This is a great opportunity for Sybille to be playing in the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic singles qualification tournament. She was a stand-out player on our women's tennis team and worked hard on the court to get to where she is," said San Jose State women's tennis head coach Chad Skorupka.
"Playing in the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic is a high point in her early (professional) playing career and also highlights the great new facilities we have on the South Campus. For Sybille to be playing in front of the San Jose State family will be amazing."
Gauvain's opponent and time of match on July 28 will be announced on Friday, July 27. The eight winners on July 28 must win again the next day for a spot in the singles main draw that begins, Monday, July 30.
"I'm getting ready for this. I'm practicing harder. I'm thinking about it when I'm practicing," said Gauvain. "It's going to be like a `Grand Slam' tournament with all the players who are going to be here."
There is free parking in the University's Park & Ride Lot located at the corner of 7th and Humboldt Streets with less than a 0.25-mile walk to the Spartan Tennis Complex and free admission to watch the July 28 and July 29 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic qualifying round singles matches.
Tickets for the singles and doubles matches of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tournament beginning July 30 are available.