Diane Parry Set for Career-Best Ranking After Reaching Monterrey Semifinal
French tennis player Diane Parry, 23, has reached the semifinals of the WTA 500 tournament in Monterrey by beating Denmark's Clara Tauson, guaranteeing herself a career-best world ranking. She remains the only Frenchwoman currently in the WTA top 100.
An Unexpected Run to the Semifinals
Diane Parry had originally entered only qualifying for the Monterrey event after losing to Iga Swiatek in the round of 16 at the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, reluctant to spend extra energy so close to a Grand Slam. However, a wave of withdrawals opened a spot for her in the main draw, and she made the trip to Mexico.
Win over Tauson
In the quarterfinal, Parry defeated Denmark's Clara Tauson (world No. 42) to reach her first-ever WTA 500 semifinal. Sources differ slightly on the exact score: RMC Sport reports 6-2, 7-5, while Eurosport and Flashscore both give 6-3, 7-5. Tauson led 5-3 in the second set and held three set points, but Parry fought back to level the score and eventually closed out the match. "It was tougher in the second set, but I knew I was only a break down, so I had to be more aggressive on the return," Parry told WTA media afterward.
Ranking boost and what's next
The result guarantees Parry at least 36th place in Monday's world rankings — a career high, up from her current 50th. She remains the only French woman currently in the WTA top 100; compatriot Elsa Jacquemot (113th) has lost in the first round three tournaments running, while Lois Boisson (236th) recently retired from a small event in Philadelphia, though she is entered at the US Open against Emma Navarro.
In the semifinal, Parry faces American Ann Li (30th), who beat compatriot Alycia Parks. Parry beat Li in straight sets earlier this year at Roland Garros, though she says the hard-court conditions in Monterrey will make for a different contest. Afterward, Parry heads to New York for a first-round US Open match against Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic (55th) — according to RMC Sport, she will arrive late and have to adjust to a two-hour time difference. Tauson, meanwhile, opens her US Open campaign against former world No. 3 Sloane Stephens.
