Imani Phillips Sets Sights on Championship Final: Imani Phillips is competing in the qualifying tournament at the Daytona Beach Open in Florida this Thursday, aiming for a spot in the main draw of the Professional Pickleball Association Tour event.
Phillips, one of 1,417 players registered, is entered in the women’s pro qualifier singles, alongside 33 other women. To secure a spot in the main draw, she will need to perform well in this round, with a chance to play in the final on Sunday.
If she qualifies, Phillips could face Eugenie Bouchard, a former professional tennis player from Canada who switched to pickleball last year after reaching the Wimbledon final in 2014.
“This is my first pro singles tournament and I’m doing the open singles division,”. “I’ve got to qualify from a group of 34 women that are in the qualifying round. Eight will go through to the main draw, so I’ve prepared myself for a long day and I’m ready to fight.
I’ve been looking forward to this day for a very long time and I’m just excited to see what happens. The championship final is on Sunday, and that’s where I want to end up. I’m just going to keep persevering so that I can get there.”(Imani Phillips)
Phillips, from Bermuda, recently won two gold medals and a silver at the National Pickleball Championships. Afterward, she went to Fort Myers to continue her training.
“I’ve spent five hours on court every day working with my coach Hercilio Cabieses,”. “I’ve had an amazing journey over the last two weeks getting to know my game. I’ve worked on mental toughness, really getting me to a place when I can compete at a professional level and coming up with competitive strategies.”(Imani Phillips)
Phillips’ path to the professional pickleball circuit is quickly developing, and success at Daytona Beach would bring her closer to competing at the highest levels of the sport.
News in Brief: Imani Phillips Sets Sights on Championship Final
Imani Phillips is competing in the women’s pro qualifier singles at the Daytona Beach Open this Thursday, aiming for a spot in the main draw. With 34 women in the qualifier, Phillips needs to perform well to reach the final on Sunday. Recently, she won two gold medals and a silver at the National Pickleball Championships. Training in Fort Myers with coach Hercilio Cabieses, Phillips is focused on mental toughness and competitive strategies for her professional pickleball journey.
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