25K Redding singles matches postponed by rain

   REDDING, Calif. -- All seven opening-round singles matches scheduled for today in The Ascension Project Women's $25,000 Challenger were postponed by rain.
   The other nine first-round singles matches were played on Tuesday.
   Four doubles matches, completing the first round, were played indoors at Sun Oaks Tennis & Fitness, the site of the tournament, this afternoon.
   In a match between sister pairs, Alexandra and Kat Facey of Cameron Park in the Sacramento area edged Megan and Morgan McCray of Oceanside in Southern California 6-3, 4-6 [10-5]. The Faceys, last year's runners-up, are 22-year-old twins. Morgan, 21, is one year older than Megan.
   Lauren Embree, seeking her third straight Redding doubles title, and Ema Burgic Bucko of Bosnia and Herzegovina ousted No.3 seeds Paula Cristina Goncalves of Brazil and Jovana Jaksic of Serbia 6-4, 6-1. Embree won last year with Jennifer Brady and in 2013 with Robin Anderson.
   Also today, Brady and Caroline Doyle, a Stanford junior All-American from San Francisco, defeated Brynn Boren and Nadja Gilchrist 6-4, 7-5.
   Tournament director Julie Garcia said no singles matches were scheduled on the three indoor courts so club members could use them in the morning.
   Thursday's matches are scheduled to start one hour earlier at 9 a.m. on four outdoor courts rather than three. The forecast is for partly cloudy weather with a high of 77 degrees (25.0 Celsius). Redding's customary scorching September weather is expected to return from Friday's quarterfinals through Sunday's finals.
   Weather permitting, the winners of Wednesday's postponed matches will play twice in singles on Thursday. Including doubles, some competitors could play three matches in one day.
   Highlighting Thursday's schedule is a first-round singles match between top seed and defending champion Brady and Vania King, a former top-50 singles player and a two-time Grand Slam champion in women's doubles. King is playing her fifth tournament after missing almost one year with a herniated disc in her neck.
   Redding alumni include two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Lucie Safarova, who's ranked a career-high fifth in the world, of the Czech Republic. Ten years ago, Safarova won the title at age 18, and Azarenka reached the quarterfinals at 15.
   The Redding-based Ascension Project develops athletes into leaders.
   Note to readers: A feature story on King will be posted tonight.

THE ASCENSION PROJECT WOMEN'S $25,000 CHALLENGER

At Sun Oaks Tennis & Fitness in Redding, Calif.

First-round doubles

   Ema Burgic Bucko, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Lauren Embree, United States, def. Paula Cristina Goncalves, Brazil, and Jovana Jaksic (3), Serbia, 6-4, 6-1.

   Laura Schaeder and Anna Zaja, Germany, def. Lorraine Guillermo and Julia Jones, United States, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

   Alexandra Facey and Kat Facey, Cameron Park, def. Megan McCray and Morgan McCray, United States, 6-3, 4-6 [10-5].

   Jennifer Brady, United States, and Caroline Doyle, San Francisco, def. Brynn Boren and Nadja Gilchrist, United States, 6-4, 7-5.

Thursday's schedule

(Starting at 9 a.m.)

Court 2

   Jennifer Brady (1), United States, vs. Vania King, United States.

   Paula Cristina Goncalves, Brazil, vs. Megan McCray, United States.

   Lauren Embree (4), United States, vs. Anna Zaja, Germany.

   Petra Rampre, Slovenia, vs. Paula Cristina Goncalvez, Brazil, or Megan McCray, United States.

Court and time TBA

   Ashley Weinhold and Caitlin Whoriskey (1), United States, vs. Jennifer Brady, United States, and Caroline Doyle, San Francisco.  

Court 1

   Jovana Jaksic (3), Serbia, vs. Chiara Scholl, United States.

   Nadja Gilchrist, United States, vs. Sophie Chang, United States. 

   Jovana Jaksic (3), Serbia, or Chiara Scholl, United States, vs. Klaartje Liebens, Belgium, or Amy Zhu, United States.

   Nadja Gilchrist, United States, or Sophie Chang, United States, vs. Heidi El Tabakh (8), Canada, or Alexandra Stevenson, United States.

Court and time TBA

   Robin Anderson and Vania King, United States, vs. Alexandra Facey and Kat Facey, Cameron Park.

Court 3 

   Amy Zhu, United States, vs. Klaartje Liebens, Belgium.

   Heidi El Tabakh (8), Canada, vs. Alexandra Stevenson, United States.

   Julia Jones, United States, vs. Jennifer Brady (1), United States, or Vania King, United States.

Court and time TBA

   Ema Burgic Bucko, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Lauren Embree, United States, vs. Darya Possokhova, San Francisco, and Seriana Saltzen, Cameron Park.    

Court 4

   Ashley Weinhold, United States, vs. Varatchaya Wongteanchai (2), Thailand.

   Caitlin Whoriskey (6), United States, vs. Piia Suomalainen, Finland.

   Lauren Albanese, United States, vs. Varatchaya Wongteanchai (2), Thailand, or Ashley Weinhold.

Court and time TBA

   Michelle Sammons, South Africa, and Varatchaya Wongteanchai (2), Thailand, vs. Laura Schaeder and Anna Zaja, Germany.