Countdown to Brisbane.

[Correspondent Kiu]

Early conversation right here. Time to talk Tennis again.

Brisbane is only 8 days away, blink and the qualifying rounds will start!

http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/

player list here:
http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/players/womens-singles

Sharapova is listed to play but not Li.
Williams is the top seed, she is also the defending Champion, Azarenka is the the #2 seed.

 

[RJD11]

I don't see Ebony Smooth on the list.

Is she playin?

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Do you mean Venus? Or Sloane?
Neither is playin!

As of now, 23 players are on the list, the qualifying list is yet to be released.

Here are the names:
Andrea Petkovic GER
Caroline Wozniacki DEN
Elina Svitolina UKR
Carla Suarez Navarro ESP
Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA
Dominika Cibulkova SVK
Varvara Lepchenko USA
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS
Kristina Mladenovic FRA
Kaia Kanepi EST
Kimiko Date-Krumm JPN
Serena Williams USA
Daniela Hantuchova SVK
Victoria Azarenka BLR
Magdalena Rybarikova SVK
Sabine Lisicki GER
Madison Keys USA
Maria Sharapova RUS
Francesca Schiavone ITA
Jelena Jankovic SRB
Stefanie Voegele SUI
Angelique Kerber GER
(WC)Casey Dellacqua AUS

This is a 32 player field, top 2 seeds get first round bye, with one wild card granted, we only have 7 players left to be added, 4 come from qualifying and 3 more wild cards will be granted.

This week there will be lots decided!

Sabine arrives in Brizzy(as she puts it):

https://twitter.com/sabinelisicki/status/414916212871544833/photo/1

4 days to qualifying.

 

[my sherona]

1st domination tour.. Hail Maria !

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Masha has NEVER won this!

Here are the list of the last 5 winners:
2013
Serena Williams
2012
Kaia Kanepi
2011
Petra Kvitova
2010
Kim Clijsters
2009
Victoria Azarenka

Another note, the winner here NEVER wins the Aussie Open! I think only one has accomplished that!!

 

[RJD11]

Do you mean Venus? Or Sloane?
Neither is playin!

I was speaking of Sloane, Kiu.

Does Brizzy's timing interfere with the Hopman Cup?

I guess thats why She is missing Brizzy.

 

[Hoergren]

Maybe interesting to see the current standings with 2013 results stripped - well here it is the top 13

1 Serena Williams 13070 ----- 470 280
2 Victoria Azarenka 7846 ---- 16 1
3 Maria Sharapova 5891 ---- only played 15
4 Na Li 5890 ---- 200 125
5 Agnieszka Radwanska 5820 ---- 225 225
6 Petra Kvitova 4775 ---- 125 125
7 Sara Errani 4435 ---- 200 125
8 Jelena Jankovic 4170 ---- 125 60
9 Angelique Kerber 3965 ---- 125 120
10 Caroline Wozniacki 3520 ---- 120 60
11 Simona Halep 3335 ---- 225 125
12 Roberta Vinci 3170 ---- 120 120
13 Sloane Stephens 3135 ---- 70 70

The last two numbers are their 16th and 17th best result, so it's different what the players has to gain of points before the ranking points rise.

 

[rugged]

I don't see Ebony Smooth on the list.

Is she playin?

LOL. I like that nickname: Ebony Smooth. Who are you referring to?

 

[RJD11]

I don't see Ebony Smooth on the list.

Is she playin?

LOL. I like that nickname: Ebony Smooth. Who are you referring to?

That is Sloane " Ebony Smooth " Stephens.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Second wild card awarded.

Rogowska gets the second wild card.

http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/2013/12/wildcard-for-rogowska

Only a couple of days left, qualifying draw will be available soon.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

It's Friday AM in Australia!
Here is the qualifying Draw:

1 SHVEDOVA, Yaroslava KAZ
2 VOGT, Stephanie LIE
3 RODIONOVA, Anastasia AUS
4 TATISHVILI, Anna GEO
5 RODIONOVA, Arina RUS
6 KUDRYAVTSEVA, Alla RUS
7 RUS, Arantxa NED
8 DOI, Misaki JPN
9 SCHEEPERS, Chanelle RSA
10 ZANEVSKA, Maryna UKR
11 MINELLA, Mandy LUX
12 WATSON, Heather GBR
13 GAJDOSOVA, Jarmila AUS
14 LUCIC-BARONI, Mirjana CRO
15 BRENGLE, Madison USA
16 PEREIRA, Teliana BRA
17 HSIEH, Su-Wei TPE
18 PUCHKOVA, Olga RUS
19 SANDERS, Storm AUS
20 BEGU, Irina-Camelia ROU
21 PITER, Katarzyna POL
22 PANOVA, Alexandra RUS
23 LIM, Alizé FRA
24 DOLONC, Vesna SRB
25 BERTENS, Kiki NED
26 KOVINIC, Danka MNE
27 DUSHEVINA, Vera RUS
28 DUVAL, Victoria USA
29 BUYUKAKCAY, Cagla TUR
30 BARTY, Ashleigh AUS
31 PUTINTSEVA, Yulia KAZ
32 GLUSHKO, Julia ISR

---

Order of play here:

http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2014/800/OP.pdf

 

[rugged]

1st domination tour.. Hail Maria !

Poor Maria, I kind of feel for her. I saw photos of her practicing in Brisbane, and between hitting balls, she was having her shoulder massaged. Hopefully that old shoulder won't fall off :snigger With her limitations she will have a tough time going deep at the AO (and she needs to get to the semis not to lose points) and probably defending her IW's title. How long will she be able to stay in the top ten with all the fit ladies aiming for the top. :lolz: I don't think this will be a good year for her.

 

[MashaFan]

Poor Maria, I kind of feel for her. I saw photos of her practicing in Brisbane, and between hitting balls, she was having her shoulder massaged. Hopefully that old shoulder won't fall off :snigger With her limitations she will have a tough time going deep at the AO (and she needs to get to the semis not to lose points) and probably defending her IW's title. How long will she be able to stay in the top ten with all the fit ladies aiming for the top. :lolz: I don't think this will be a good year for her.

I kinda feel for persons who're taking events in advance and - completely unnecessary - predict all kinda doomsdays scenarios for Maria Sharapova under the disguise that they feel sorry whereas they in fact are hoping that their predictions will come true - Tell me rugged - what has Masha ever done to you to deserve your utterly unsympathetic and condescending comments and snickers?

 

[Moxie]

Ah, 2014 hasn't even begun, but the trash-talk amongst some fans has. At least we can warm our winter-cold hands by the friction-heat generated between the camps. As an old year ticks over into a new one, it's nice to know that some things never change. :angel:

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

I have a score!

6-1<-----> 5-7<-----> 0-6
V. Dushevina (RUS) was defeated by V. Duval (USA)

Complete match turn-around by Victoria. The new year started right for her! She will play Kiki next.

In other news, Australia's 19 year old "Storm Sanders" upsets Irina Begu in 3 sets.

read more here:
http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/2013/12/sanders-duval-pass-first-test

 

[10isfan]

The draw comes out Saturday morning. Anxious to see Woz, Serena, Pova, Vika, Halep, Sloane. The list goes on.

 

[sk310]

I always think Brisbane is a smart play for top players, at very least top 10ers. I never think its a good idea for a top player to play the week before a slam, but I also think it would be crazy for someone to go into a grand slam from an off season with no tour matches played, even a loss. Even the greats need to shake off rust.

Just look at the list of the last Brisbane winners and you'll see, obviously, the top players value this tournament. Vika, Clijsters, and Serena--ALL Australian Open champions. I really would like to see Brisbane given more ranking points over Sydney. To me Sydney always ends up being a negative for the other top 10ers who usually play it (5 and below it seems).

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

First round of qualifying is history, couple of seeds fell. #5 seeded Misaki Doi of Japan lost.
For a complete list of scores, check this link:
http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/scores/completed-matches

Order of play here:
http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2014/800/OP.pdf

8 WTA matches are to be played, ATP matches start full schedule.

 

[Hoergren]

The main draw is out - not equal parts:

(1)Williams v BYE
Petkovic v Mattek Sands
Date Krumm v (wc)Rogowska
Cibulkova v (6)Wozniacki

(3)Sharapova v Garcia
Hantuchova v Q
Kanepi v Q
Q v (8)Suarez Navarro

(5)Kerber v Mladenovic
Pavlyuchenkova v Q
Lepchenko v Svitolina
Schiavone v (4)Jankovic

(7)Lisicki v Rybarikova
Voegele v Keys
Voskoboeva v (wc)Dellacqua
(2)Azarenka v BYE

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

It's kinda top heavy.

Serena will have to face everyone including the kitchen sink!


But, the bottom half ain't no breeze either, Vika will probably face Sabine in the quarters and then Angie in the semis. JJ should be seeing Angie right before that...

As for the mentioned kitchen sink, Serena will get Petko in the second, Caro in the quarters and surviving all of that, there will be Masha and then either Sabine or Vika, which is the kitchen sink...

Now, here are some valid questions.
Can Caro get past Lil' Domi? the winner should be battle tested for Serena...
How long will the match between Franny and JJ take? 2 hours, or three?
Who will withdraw first? Will it be Masha? Vika? May be Serena?
And then this is the most important question...
Who will win?

Seems to me,
We need a poll and a fresh thread, this was a starter thread anyway. It will be nice to have a new poll/thread once the final draw is decided including the qualifiers.