Caroline Garcia Returns to WTA M'sia Open

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- World number 24 on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) list, Caroline Garcia, hopes to emulate last season's success of breaking into the top 10 for the first time. A statement from the organiser Monday said Garcia will make her second appearance in the ALYA WTA Malaysia Open held at the TPC Kuala Lumpur from Feb 27 to March 5. In her first appearance in 2012, Garcia who was then ranked 142nd, took Serbian, Jelena Jankovic, to three sets before losing in the first round here. "I want concentrate on WTA events and Grand Slams as my individual career. My goal is to be top 10," she said. Garcia who also finished the 2016 season in doubles as the world number two, described last year as 'the best season' of her career when she won two singles titles and helped France to the final of the Fed Cup and climb the ranking list to world number 23. Garcia who turned professional in 2011 won her first career title in Bogota in 2014 followed by Limoges the following season. She won in Strasbourg and Mallarco and reached the final in Limoges, last year. The ALYA WTA Malaysian Open 2017 qualifying rounds begin on Feb 25 and 26 and the main tournament starts on Feb 27 culminating with the singles and doubles finals on March 5. -- BERNAMA