Mona Barthel (born 11 July 1990) is a German tennis player.
On 18 March 2013, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 23. On 14 September 2015, she peaked at No. 63 in the doubles rankings.
Barthel has won four singles and three doubles titles on the WTA Tour, one doubles title on the WTA Challenger Tour as well as five singles titles and one doubles title on the ITF Circuit in her career.
Mona Barthel was born in Bad Segeberg to Wolfgang Barthel, who won the shot put event at the 1970 European Junior Athletics Championships in Paris, and Dr. Hannelore. She was raised in a tennis-playing family, and took an interest in the game at age 3. She has cited Steffi Graf as an inspiration. Barthel moved to Neumünster, where she completed her Abitur in 2009, having attended the Klaus Groth Schule.
Barthel played her first ITF tournament in July 2007 in Frinton where she qualified for the main tournament and reached the quarterfinals, losing to Jade Curtis. In July 2008, she reached the finals of the Frinton tournament, losing to Tara Moore, and the $10,000 event in Gausdal, losing to Svenja Weidemann. She also reached the doubles final in Gausdal partnering Weidemann, where they lost to Tegan Edwards and Marcella Koek. Her first ITF tournament victory was in January 2010 at the $10k tournament in Wrexham, beating Anne Kremer of Luxembourg in straight sets. In February 2010, she reached the doubles final of the $50k+H Biberach tournament, partnering Carmen Klaschka, losing to Stéphanie Cohen-Aloro and Selima Sfar. In April 2010, she won the singles title at the $50k Torhout tournament, beating Rebecca Marino in the final, and also won in doubles, partnering Justine Ozga, defeating Hana Birnerová and Ekaterina Bychkova in the final.
2011: Success on the ITF Circuit
Barthel started 2011 by playing a $25k tournament in Andrézieux-Bouthéon, France. She won the tournament defeating Stephanie Vogt in the final. Next, Barthel competed at a $25k tournament in Grenoble, France. She lost in the second round to Stéphanie Foretz Gacon. Playing at a $25k ITF tournament in Sutton, England, Barthel advanced to the final where she was defeated by Kristina Mladenovic.
Barthel started her year at the Auckland Open. She defeated Jelena Dokić in the first round. In the second round, she lost in a close match to top seed and compatriot Sabine Lisicki. Qualifying for the Moorilla Hobart International in Hobart, Barthel reached the final after wins over Romina Oprandi, second seed Anabel Medina Garrigues, fifth seed Jarmila Gajdošová, and fourth seed Angelique Kerber. In the final, she defeated top seed Yanina Wickmayer to claim her first WTA title. With this win, Barthel became the first qualifier since September 2010 to win a WTA tournament. Following her maiden title win, Barthel made her debut at the Australian Open. Barthel won her first-round match when her opponent, Anne Keothavong, retired due to illness. In the second round, she beat 32nd seed Petra Cetkovská. In the third round, she lost to third seed and eventual champion Victoria Azarenka.
In February, Barthel competed at the Open GDF Suez in Paris. In order to play in the main draw, Barthel had to qualify, which she did by defeating Mariya Koryttseva, Julie Coin, and Varvara Lepchenko. In the first round of the main draw, she defeated Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová. In the second round she crushed Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier to move into the quarterfinals, but then lost her quarterfinal match to Yanina Wickmayer. At the Qatar Total Open in Doha, Barthel was defeated in the second round by top seed and eventual champion Victoria Azarenka. Barthel fell in the final round of qualifying at the Dubai Tennis Championships to Petra Martić. At the first Premier Mandatory event of the year at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Barthel earned a comfortable first-round victory over American Jill Craybas. In the second round, she was up against top seed Victoria Azarenka. In this match, she played the best tennis in her career as she led 4–1 in the third set and served for the match twice. However, she ended up losing to the eventual champion. At the Sony Ericsson Open, Barthel reached the third round by beating Gréta Arn and thirteenth seed Jelena Janković. She was defeated in her third-round match by Ekaterina Makarova. Seeded sixth at the e-Boks Open, Barthel lost in the quarterfinals to second seed and eventual champion, Angelique Kerber.
Barthel began her clay-court season at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in her home country. Playing as a wildcard, she defeated former world number 1 and French Open Champion Ana Ivanovic in the first round. Barthel recorded her first victory against a top 10 player by defeating world number seven and seventh seed Marion Bartoli in the second round. In her quarterfinal match, she played world No. 1, Victoria Azarenka, for the fourth time that year and lost in three sets. Barthel was defeated in the second round at the Madrid Open to sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki. Seeded fifth at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, Barthel lost in the first round to qualifier Alexandra Panova. Seeded thirtieth at the French Open, Barthel suffered a first-round upset at the hands of American qualifier Lauren Davis.
Barthel had a very poor grass-court season. Seeded sixth at the Birmingham Classic, she lost in the second round to Andrea Hlaváčková. At the Eastbourne International, Barthel was defeated in round one by Chanelle Scheepers. Ranked 39 at the Wimbledon Championships, Barthel lost in the first round to 12th seed Vera Zvonareva.
Seeded seventh at the Swedish Open, Barthel was defeated in the semifinal round by defending champion and eventual champion Polona Hercog. Playing for Germany at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Barthel lost in the first round to Urszula Radwańska.
Starting her US Open series at the Rogers Cup, Barthel was defeated in the second round by second seed Agnieszka Radwańska. Barthel had a match point in the third set but failed to convert. In Cincinnati at the Western & Southern Open, Barthel faced fourth seed Petra Kvitová in the second round. She pushed Kvitová to three sets, but she ended up losing. Barthel played her final tournament before the US Open at the New Haven Open at Yale. She beat Daniela Hantuchová in the first round. She withdrew from her second-round match versus seventh seed Maria Kirilenko due to gastrointestinal illness. Ranked thirty-five at the US Open, Barthel was defeated in the first round by Bojana Jovanovski.
Seeded third at the Challenge Bell in Quebec City, Barthel advanced to the semifinals where she lost to eventual champion Kirsten Flipkens. At the China Open, Barthel lost in the first round to qualifier Elena Vesnina. In Austria at the Generali Ladies Linz, Barthel was defeated in the first round by Kiki Bertens. Barthel played her final tournament of the season at the Luxembourg Open. Seeded ninth, she lost in the second round to eventual champion, Venus Williams.
Barthel ended the year ranked 39.
2013: Top-30 breakthrough: First Premier title
Barthel began her season at the ASB Classic. Seeded eighth, she reached the semifinals after wins over qualifier Grace Min, Eleni Daniilidou, and Johanna Larsson. She lost in her semifinal match to third seed Yanina Wickmayer. As the ninth seed and defending champion at the Moorilla Hobart International, Barthel again reached the final by defeating Australian wildcard Ashleigh Barty, Chanelle Scheepers, Tsvetana Pironkova, and Kirsten Flipkens. She failed to defend her title as she was defeated in the final by Elena Vesnina. Seeded 32nd at the Australian Open, Barthel suffered a first-round loss at the hands of Ksenia Pervak.
Playing at the 21st edition of the Open GDF Suez in Paris, Barthel advanced to the final after victories over Urszula Radwańska, fifth seed Roberta Vinci, third seed Marion Bartoli, and Kristina Mladenovic. She won over top seed Sara Errani in the final to earn her second WTA title and first premier title. In Doha at the Qatar Open, Barthel beat Yulia Putintseva in the first round. In the second round, she took out fifth seed Angelique Kerber. She lost in the third round to tenth seed Caroline Wozniacki. At the Premier Mandatory event in Indian Wells, Barthel made it to the fourth round, including wins over Kiki Bertens and former world number one and eleventh seed Ana Ivanovic. She lost to seventh seed Sam Stosur in the fourth round. Seeded 27th and receiving a first-round bye at the Miami Open, Barthel was defeated in the second round by Magdaléna Rybáriková.