Spotlight On ... Polona Hercog

Polona Hercog is an up-and-coming tennis player from Slovenia. In May 2009, she reached a career high ranking of # 167.

In 2008, she won two ITF circuit titles (both in Mallorca in February) and three ITF doubles titles. She also reached the quarter-finals (in Bosnia Herzegovina, and in the Czech Republic, beating top seed and top 100 player Yvonne Meusberger in the first round), semi-finals (in Croatia, beating 2nd seed Anne Keothavong) and finals (in Italy, beating 2nd seed Mathilde Johansson en route) of ITF events.

She has yet to make her Grand Slam main draw debut. She entered US Open qualifying but lost in the first round. In WTA events, she received a wildcard for WTA Portoroz and took then top 100 player Julia Vakulenko to three sets in the first round. Back on the ITF circuit, she notched up a second round showing in Maribor (Slovenia) (l. to 3rd seed Angelique Kerber) and a quarter-final in Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina) (l. to 6th seed Alexandra Dulgheru). She ended her 2008 season with first round exits in ITF events in Mestre (Italy), Ortisei (Italy) and Podolsk (Russia).

In 2009, she has won ITF titles in Civitavecchia (Italy) and Zagreb (Croatia), as well as notching up a second round appearance in WTA Marbella and WTA Fes on the clay. She qualified for the Roland Garros main draw in May and won a round against 23rd seed Alisa Kleybanova before losing in three sets to Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai in the second round.