University of Georgia Athletics
Gullickson Draws Top Seed In 2010 US Open
August 26, 2010 | Women's Tennis
Aug. 26, 2010
ATHENS-----University of Georgia junior Chelsey Gullickson’s 2010 US Open experience looks to be even more memorable as she will face the top seed in Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark who is ranked number two in the world.
Wozniacki, the 2009 US Open finalist, is the top seed this year with current No. 1 Serena Williams sidelined with a foot injury. The 20-year-old Danish star has already captured three titles on the WTA tour this year. Gullickson, the 2010 NCAA singles champion who turns 20 Sunday, will battle Wozniacki on either Monday or Tuesday when first round action begins at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. The grand slam event will be played Aug. 30-Sept. 12.
“I’m going to have fun and enjoy the experience because I’ve never played in the main draw of a US Open,” said Gullickson. “I’ve played in some qualifying in the juniors, and I wasn’t sure if I would be in the main draw or qualifying for the Open this year because I’ve only played in a couple of tournament this summer. I had planned to play in more, but I had to pull out of a couple earlier this summer because of an injury (chest muscle). I am super excited to be in the main draw and looking forward to the match.”
Gullickson, a native of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., plans to fly to New York Friday and begin final preparations for the tournament. She will participate in the 15th annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day festivities at the Open tennis center and be honored as part of the ITA All-Star Team, which features the nation’s top ranked collegiate players and national champions from the 2009-10 season.
Gullickson is competing as an amateur and plans to return to Georgia in January. She is the first Bulldog amateur to play in the main draw of an Open. She is the first Bulldog to compete in an Open since Angela Lettiere in 1997. Like Gullickson, Lettiere’s first appearances at the Open came after winning an NCAA singles title, claiming the 1994 crown also in Athens.
Last week at the Pilot Penn Tennis event at Yale, an Olympus US Open series tournament on the WTA Tour in New Haven, Gullickson drew the top seed. She extended Russian Elena Vesnina, ranked No. 41 in the world, to three sets before falling 3-6,7-6(6)6-2. She had a match point opportunity in the second set at 6-5 but Vesnina held serve.
“I gained a lot of confidence from that match, and I know I could’ve played better,” said Gullickson. “The tiebreaker was tight, and I tried to relax and have fun.”
Gullickson is waiting to see if she will play more than just singles at the Open. She said she is hoping for wild cards to play doubles with her older sister Carly, a professional on the WTA tour, and in mixed doubles with Virginia senior All-America Michael Shabaz. Carly Gullickson won the 2009 US Open Mixed Doubles title with former Bulldog star Travis Parrott. Shabaz is a two-time NCAA doubles champion. The USTA will announce more wild card selections to the other draws next week.
“It’s always nice to play with Carly because she is a great doubles player who has won tournaments on the tour, and we compliment each other,” said Gullickson. “She is a very smart player who knows how to move well on the court, and she helps me with my game.”
Television coverage for the Open begins Monday with opening round women’s action from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the Tennis Channel and 1 p.m to 7 p.m. on ESPN2. Also on Monday, there is “Primetime at the US Open: Opening Round” from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on ESPN2. The broadcast schedule is the same for Tuesday.
