Alycia Parks has made a splash at the WTA 500 event in Monterrey. The American advanced to her career’s third tour-level semifinal at the tournament, knocking out some heavy opponents en route.
Parks began her campaign with a quick 6-2, 6-1 win against Cristina Bucșa in the opener. She then outlasted the top seed, Emma Navarro, with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback. Here, she secured a 6-2, 7-5 victory against Rebecca Šramková to confirm her place in the semifinals.
On Friday, August 22, the 24-year-old faces another tough opponent, Diana Shnaider, for a spot in the final showdown. Ahead of the match, Parks sat down for an exclusive interview with PFSN, where she opened up about her resurgence and the emotional aspect of her journey in Monterrey.
‘Back to the Old Alycia Parks,’ Says the American Ahead of Her Semifinal in Monterrey
Parks has won 17 matches and lost 18 so far in 2025. Four of her 17 wins have been in qualifying rounds of WTA 1000 events. She started her season strong, with a semifinal appearance at the ASB Classic in Auckland, but failed to capitalize on her momentum.
The American has scripted her only other tour-level winning streak this season at the ongoing tournament in Monterrey. Addressing her encouraging turnaround, Parks told PFSN:
“It feels great. It feels really good to be back on kinda like my winning streak, and back to the old Alycia Parks. I’m super excited this week.”
She credited her mental progress instead of her technical alterations for the favorable result. The American also acknowledged the contribution of her father, Michael, who’s coached her since childhood.
“I’d say the biggest thing with me was focus. As long as I’m focused, I can remember what the right things are to do out there. And my serve, I just have to remember the technique that my dad taught me.”
Parks is on the hunt for her second tour-level trophy at the 2025 Monterrey Open and her biggest yet after the WTA 250 Lyon title she won in 2023.
Alycia Parks Is Chasing the Monterrey Open Title Days After Personal Tragedy
Parks, who turned pro in 2018, has reached at least one final every year on the ITF, the Challenger, or the tour level. In 2020, she won her first-ever trophy at an ITF event in Orlando. She then collected two Challenger (WTA 125) titles in December 2022, just months before winning her maiden WTA tour title in Lyon.
In 2024, Parks continued her Challenger dominance with three trophies. About the possibility of winning her biggest career title yet in Monterrey, the 24-year-old told PFSN:
“It would mean a lot, actually. I haven’t won a tournament this year, and I haven’t gone one year without winning at least a 125, 250, or something. So this title would mean a lot; hopefully it’d be one of many,” said Parks.
The American suffered a personal tragedy days before her Monterrey arrival, when her grandmother, who was her ardent supporter, passed away. Parks made an emotional revelation about the significance of her journey at the ongoing event.
“I was second-guessing playing this tournament because it was so recent. But then I did say, ‘Well, I am gonna play this tournament for her because she was cheering me on week in and week out.’”
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In the upcoming semifinal, Parks would aim to level her head-to-head record against Diana Shnaider. The Russian presently holds a 2-1 lead against the American. Two of the pair’s three meetings so far came this year, with Parks winning the clash in Doha and Shnaider staging revenge at Indian Wells.
