Belgian Benoit Wins 2020 Daytona Beach Women’s Pro Tennis Championships

Belgian Marie Benoit won her first pro tennis title on U.S. soil on Sunday at the $25,000 2020 Daytona Beach Women’s Pro Tennis Championships, a USTA Pro Circuit and ITF World Tennis Tour event, in the final rolling past qualifier Andrea Lazaro Garcia of Spain 6-4, 6-0.

It was the first title since October 2018 for the 24-year-old who was competing in her first event of 2020.

Congratulations to Belgian Marie Benoit winner of the 2020 Daytona Women's Pro Tennis Championship singles over Spaniard Andrea Lazaro 6-4 6-0. Thank you ladies for a great week of world class tennis and best wishes at your next tournaments🎾 pic.twitter.com/QJYT9d97I0

— Florida Tennis Center (@FLTennisCenter) January 20, 2020

Benoit in her second round upended No. 5 seed Tereza Mrdeza of Croatia from a set down 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, and in the quarterfinals toppled No. 4 Daniela Seguel of Chile 6-4, 6-1.

It was a turnaround result for Benoit who had lost in her last meeting with Lazaro Garcia 7-6(4), 7-5 in the final of the ITF $25,000 event in October 2019 in Roja de Turia, Spain, her only final reached last year.

Benoit is now 8-7 career in ITF World Tour finals.

Lazaro Garza likewise defeated two seeds en route to the final, upsetting No. 3 Renata Zarazua of Mexico 6-3, 7-5, and No. 6 Dalma Galfi of Hungary 6-2, 6-1. The 25-year-old Spaniard was playing for her first title of the season, last winning at her home-country event, the ITF $25,000 event in October 2019 in Roja de Turia. She has five career titles to her credit.

Galfi and Belgian’s Kimberley Zimmermann won the doubles championship as the No. 2 seeds, in the final edging the unseeded pair of Paula Ormaechea of Argentina and Prarthana Thombare of India 7-6(4), 6-2.

Former Daytona Beach singles and doubles winners:

2020 — Marie Benoit (BEL), Dalma Galfi (HUN)/Kimberly Zimmermann (BEL)
2019 — Anna Bondar (HUN), Bondar (HUN)/Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR)
2018 — Anhelina Kalinina (UKR), Usue Maitane Arconada (USA)/Alexa Guarachi (CHI)
2017 — Anhelina Kalinina (UKR), Robin Anderson (USA)/Kalinina (UKR)
2016 — Ons Jabeur (TUN), Natela Dzalamidze/Veronika Kudermetova (RUS)
2015 — Daria Kasatkina (RUS), Jan Abaza/Sanaz Marand (USA)
2014 — Anna Tatishvili (GEO), Nicole Melichar (USA)/Teodora Mircic (SRB)

With more than 90 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging from $15,000-$125,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. Andy Murray, Maria Sharapova, John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Kei Nishikori, Victoria Azarenka, and Sam Querrey and are among today’s top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.

For more info go to www.procircuit.usta.com.