Just a week after winning her first ever Pro Circuit title, Mallory Cecil competed in the Kaelin Diadora ITF Women’s Circuit event. The $10,000 Challenger Tournament was held at the Van Deer Meer Tennis Center in Hilton Head, SC. Similar to the previous week, Cecil was able to pull through and win her second Pro Circuit title.
Cecil, from Spartanburg, SC, came into the Pro Circuit in Hilton Head ranked 1006 in the world, but had confidence after winning the week before. Cecil’s first round match in the main draw was against the 8 seed Bo Verhulsdonk of the Netherlands. Cecil advanced with a 6-1, 7-5 victory that set up a match with fellow American Monica Yajima. Cecil was able to reach the quarterfinals in a match that also had the score of 6-1, 7-5. The quarterfinal match against Brazil’s Nathalia Rossi was more of a challenge for Cecil than her first two rounds, but she still came out on top 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
In the semifinals of the tournament, Cecil matched up against Megan Moulton-Levy. Cecil advanced easily into her second straight final with a 6-1, 6-3 victory. Cecil’s opponent in the final was Theresa Logar, who had already beaten the top seed of the tournament in straight sets. With a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win, Cecil won her second straight tournament despite being ranked so low.
Cecil’s first Pro Circuit title came at the Palmetto Pro Open in Sumter, SC. Her opponent in the final was also Theresa Logar, who was the 8 seed in the tournament. The match went three sets, and in a similar outcome Cecil came away with the 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 victory.