Çağla Büyükakçay

Büyükakçay wins first game at Australian Open qualifications

Çağla Büyükakçay, one of the three Turkish players competing in the 2021 Australian Open's qualifying stage, won her first game on Jan. 10 to advance to the second round.

Büyükakçay, world number 178, beat 15-year-old Andorran Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6,4-6,4 in Dubai.

She will next play Ana Konjuh of Croatia, who won 6-2,-67-6-4 against Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany.

3 Turks to compete in 2021 Australian Open

Three Turkish tennis players will compete in the 2021 Australian Open's qualifying stage with drawings for the first round in the men's and women's category held on Jan. 9.

Çağla Büyükakçay and Pemra Özgen will be on court to play in the first round in the women's competition.

Cem İlkel will appear in the men's qualifiers.

The qualifying phase will be held Jan. 10-13.

Büyükakçay to take on Rogers at French Open

Turkish player Çağla Büyükakçay will take on Shelby Rogers at the French Open on May 31 after beating Croatia's Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in straight sets on May 28. 

The world's 155th-ranked player won 6-3, 6-3 against her 35-year-old rival, who is a full 133 spots ahead of her in the world rankings.

"I'll face another tough rival," Büyükakçay told Anadolu Agency after the win. 

Ça?la Büyükakçay wins historic WTA title in Istanbul on home soil

Turkish tennis player Ca?la Büyükakçay became the first Turkish player to win a WTA tournament following a victory over Montenegro's Danka Kovinic in the final of the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup International Women's tournament on April 24.

Büyükakçay, 26, defeated 21-year-old Kovinic 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 at Garanti Koza Arena in Istanbul.