Cocciaretto’s Qualifier Triumph in Hobart
From the qualifiers’ edge, Elisabetta Cocciaretto stormed to the Hobart International title, upending third seed Iva Jovic in straight sets and etching her name among the event’s rare underdog champions ahead of the Australian Open grind.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto gripped the Hobart International trophy on Saturday, her second WTA singles title sealed with a 6-4, 6-4 upset over third seed Iva Jovic. Two years after falling short in the final to Lauren Davis, the Italian qualifier turned frustration into fire on these Tasmanian hard courts. Ranked No. 80 upon arrival—down from her peak at World No. 29—she fought through two qualifying wins just to enter the main draw, her heavy topspin forehands carving paths amid the cool coastal breeze.
Hobart: Scores | Draws | Order of play
Comeback ignites unstoppable run
Cocciaretto’s breakthrough sparked in the second round, where she rallied from 6-1, 5-3 down against No. 4 seed Ann Li. Her crosscourt backhands started finding deeper angles, disrupting Li’s rhythm and flipping the set with a surge of low slices that skidded low on the plexicushion surface. From that escape, she surrendered no more than four games per set, her one–two patterns—deep serves followed by inside-out forehands—wearing down foes in rallies that stretched under the afternoon sun.
This marked her as the fourth qualifier to claim the Hobart crown, joining Mona Barthel in 2012, Garbiñe Muguruza in 2014, and Davis. As the first Italian victor here since Rita Grande 25 years ago, she halted the U.S. bid for a fourth straight title, the crowd’s murmurs building to cheers with each hold in the final.
Tactics bend underdog pressure
Against Jovic’s flat power and big serve, Cocciaretto leaned on the hard courts’ moderate pace, redirecting pace with topspin loops that gripped the surface and forced longer exchanges. She broke early in both sets using down-the-line passes off defensive lobs, her movement allowing her to stretch wide and counter the American’s aggression. The 24-year-old’s mental shift from her seeded Lausanne win two summers prior shone through, this raw qualifier path honing a resilience that eased the weight of a inconsistent season.
Her Hobart points should vault her toward the top 60 in the PIF WTA Rankings, a timely boost mirroring Melbourne’s cushioned courts and priming her for deeper Australian Open runs. The intimate tournament buzz, with its steady baseline tempo, rewarded her patience over flash, turning early deficits into a narrative of reclaimed edge.
Doubles pair mirrors the fight
Janice Tjen and Katarzyna Piter capped the weekend with a 6-2, 6-2 doubles rout of Magali Kempen and Anna Siskova, their second title together after Guangzhou in October. Tjen notched her third career doubles crown, all at WTA 250 level, while Piter added to her sixth since 2013, including a 500 event in Merida last March with Mayar Sherif. Their net rushes and volley exchanges overwhelmed the opposition, the hard courts amplifying their one–two volleys in crisp, efficient points.
As the Australian swing heats up, Cocciaretto’s Hobart redemption underscores how qualifiers’ grit can forge breakthroughs, her tactical poise positioning her as a threat in the majors’ chaos.
