Ex-Stanford star Ahn loses in French Open qualifying

Kristie Ahn, playing in the Sacramento Challenger
last July, lost to Katerina Siniakova of the Czech
Republic today in the second round of French Open
qualifying in Paris. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Former Stanford All-American Kristie Ahn, from Upper Saddle River, N.J., lost to sixth-seeded Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 today in the second round of French Open qualifying in Paris.
   It was the first meeting between the 23-year-old Ahn, ranked No. 194, and the 20-year-old Siniakova, ranked No. 107, and ended Ahn's first year in the French Open.
   Ahn qualified for the 2008 U.S. Open at 16, losing to then-No. 7 Dinara Safina of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the main draw. Safina reached No. 1 the following year and retired in 2014 at age 28 because of back injuries.
   As a Stanford junior, the injury-prone Ahn gave the Cardinal the last of its record 17 NCAA team titles by winning the deciding match in a 4-3 victory over Texas A&M in 2013 in Urbana, Ill.
   Siniakova also has starred at Stanford, although not in college. She advanced to the doubles final of the 2014 Bank of the West Classic with Paula Kania of Poland. They lost to Spaniards Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro.