Zarina Diyas
Birth date: October 18th, 1993 (15)
Nationality: Kazakhstan
Pro Ranking: 295
Junior Ranking: 37
Zarina (lil Borat) was, as many of you know, a wild card entrant at this weeks ECM Prague Open. Though statistics would argue that the opening round match between Diyas and Kristina Mladenovic was a toss-up (Kristina's ranked about 30 places below her on the WTA rankings), Mladenovic won the junior Roland Garros title and more recently made the finals of junior Wimbledon in both singles and doubles. Coming into the match, Mladenovic also held a 1-0 advantage in their head to head, winning the only previous meeting 60 63 this April at an ITF event also staged on clay. Needless to say, Diyas was the heavy underdog and yet she pulled out a stunning win in straights. She went on to cruise past a flustered Petra Kvitova in the 2nd round. Already with just the points she's received by making it to the Quarters, Diyas will rise to about 235 in the rankings, which makes her eligible for the U.S. Open Qualifying this August.
For a video of Zarina Diyas at the Prague Open, click here: http://www.protenis.cz/video/clip.php?vid=1330
