Osaka 2013: HP Open

[Correspondent Kiu]

http://www.hp-open.jp/
Officially:
HP Japan Women's Open Tennis.
OSAKA, JAPAN
Oct 07 - Oct 13

Defending Champion is Heather Watson in this international level event and it's 280 points.

Player field here:
http://www.hp-open.jp/player.html
Top seeds are Sam Stosur and Sabine Lisicki.

Qualifying round starts tomorrow, here is the order:
http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2013/405/OP.pdf

 

[kskate2]

JJ asked for a WC into this event?

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

I don't know K!
I read that in Istanbul thread but I can't find JJ's name anywhere on the event's web-site.
WTA site says she only plays Moscow after Beijing.
I wonder where ozza heard that from?


Anyway, the qualification draw is out:
http://www.hp-open.jp/pdf/qs.pdf

 

[ozza]

Top seed is Jelena Jankovic. Go to the bottom of the entry list you posted Kiu (http://www.hp-open.jp/player.html). The wildcards are at the very bottom. Laura Robson has also taken one.

I would guess there is a chance she withdraws though. Especially if she beats Kvitova tomorrow.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

You've always been reliable ozza, that's why I trust your posts.

My bad, I didn't bother to go to the bottom of the page.
I am pretty sure Jelena will play regardless of the Beijing outcome, but then I have to consider what you wrote.
Normally a wild card would get some appearance fee, right?

 

[kskate2]

If she does play that would be 3 weeks in a row. What week is Moscow?

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

October 14th to October 20th.

 

[kskate2]

So then that's 4 weeks in a row. Yikes.

 

[ozza]

It would be 4 weeks in a row. A lot of players who were chasing Istanbul are down for this similar 4 weeks in a row schedule.

Jankovic might be getting a small appearance fee to play, I doubt a big one though. She took this wildcard more because she needed to play for the points for Istanbul than the event seeking her out.

I think if Jankovic beats Kvitova you might see her withdraw, otherwise I doubt it. This is a really soft field, and it will be easier to get points here than in Moscow. Unless she wins tomorrow Jankovic is still in need of points.

I am interested to see what Kvitova does now. 2 long weeks back to back, she's already qualified for Istanbul, and is down for Linz and Moscow the next 2 weeks.

Interesting to note are the seeds for this tournament:
#1 Jelena Jankovic
#2 Sabine Lisicki
#3 Samantha Stosur
#4 Flavia Pennetta
#5 Eugenie Bouchard
#6 Madison Keys
#7 Laura Robson
#8 Monica Puig

Seeds 5-8 is interesting.

Personally I have a grudge against Osaka every year. It's one of the few tournaments (maybe even the only tournament now) where none of it is televised. The only footage of Heather Watson's win last year is the final set tiebreak in the final, and some weird footage on the official youtube channel at a terrible angle.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

...

Seeds 5-8 is interesting.

especially because they are all young upcoming stars, I guess other than Maddie, who is the oldest of the bunch.

Personally I have a grudge against Osaka every year. It's one of the few tournaments (maybe even the only tournament now) where none of it is televised. The only footage of Heather Watson's win last year is the final set tiebreak in the final, and some weird footage on the official youtube channel at a terrible angle.

Probably being televised by some fan who took it from the stands.

 

[ozza]

Ha maybe I am wrong this year. According to tennistv Osaka is being televised this year.

HP Open, Osaka
7 Oct 2013 to 13 Oct 2013 | Up to 16 live matches
(Blackout in Japan, Russia, USA)

So we should be able to watch.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Sunday's order of play:
http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2013/405/OP.pdf

Vania is on the card.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Main draw is out:

9 MLADENOVIC, Kristina SRB
WOZNIAK, Aleksandra CAN
FICHMAN, Sharon CAN
ZHENG, Jie CHN

ZHANG, Shuai CHN
MEDINA GARRIGUES, Anabel ESP
SCHMIEDLOVA, Anna SVK
6 KEYS, Madison USA

3 STOSUR, Samantha AUS
LARSSON, Johanna SWE
DAVIS, Lauren USA
BENCIC, Belinda SUI

DOI, Misaki JPN
SOLER-ESPINOSA, Silvia ESP
DATE-KRUMM, Kimiko JPN
7 ROBSON, Laura GBR



5 BOUCHARD, Eugenie CAN
LEPCHENKO, Varvara USA
MLADENOVIC, Kristina FRA
MORITA, Ayumi JPN

HSIEH, Su-Wei TPE
ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA, Barbora CZE
KING, Vania USA
4 PENNETTA, Flavia ITA

8 PUIG, Monica PUR
WATSON, Heather GBR
NARA, Kurumi JPN
GARCIA, Caroline FRA

HERCOG, Polona SLO
CETKOVSKA, Petra CZE
SCHEEPERS, Chanelle RSA
2 LISICKI, Sabine GER

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Order of play:
MONDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2013

CENTRE COURT

11:00 - BELINDA BENCIC (SUI) V [7] ANASTASIA RODIONOVA (AUS)
12:00 - [3] SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS) V JOHANNA LARSSON (SWE)
14:00 - MISAKI DOI (JPN) V SILVIA SOLER-ESPINOSA (ESP)
16:00 - [1] RAQUEL KOPS-JONES / ABIGAIL SPEARS (USA / USA) V KIMIKO DATE-KRUMM / CHANELLE SCHEEPERS (JPN / RSA)

COURT 1

11:00 - [1] ANNA SCHMIEDLOVA (SVK) V ERI HOZUMI (JPN)
13:00 - KURUMI NARA (JPN) V CAROLINE GARCIA (FRA)
15:00 - [5] EUGENIE BOUCHARD (CAN) V VARVARA LEPCHENKO (USA)
17:00 - SHUKO AOYAMA / KAI-CHEN CHANG (JPN / TPE) V SHU-YING HSIEH / SU-WEI HSIEH (TPE / TPE)

COURT 2

11:00 - [2] VANIA KING (USA) V [5] LUKSIKA KUMKHUM (THA)
13:00 - [8] MONICA PUIG (PUR) V HEATHER WATSON (GBR)
15:00 - PETRA CETKOVSKA / JIE ZHENG (CZE / CHN) V [2] KRISTINA MLADENOVIC / FLAVIA PENNETTA (FRA / ITA)

COURT 4

12:00 - [3] BARBORA ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA (CZE) V ZARINA DIYAS (KAZ)

 

[ozza]

Jankovic has withdrawn with a left hip injury.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Osaka 2013: first day scores

I have first day scores:

MONDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2013




FIRST ROUND
[7] Monica Puig (PUR) d Heather Watson (GBR) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 4 |
[4] Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) d Varvara Lepchenko (USA) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 0 |
Misaki Doi (JPN) d Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 2 |
[2] Samantha Stosur (AUS) d Johanna Larsson (SWE) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 2 |
Kurumi Nara (JPN) d Caroline Garcia (FRA) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 2 |

QUALIFYING - FINAL ROUND
[1] Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) d Eri Hozumi (JPN) | 6 - 2 | 6 - 1 |
[5] Luksika Kumkhum (THA) d [2] Vania King (USA) | 6 - 3 | 7 - 5 |
[3] Barbora Zahlavova Strycov (CZE) d Zarina Diyas (KAZ) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 2 |
Belinda Bencic (SUI) d [7] Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) | 5 - 7 | 6 - 2 | 5 - 0 | RET

There are your Qualifiers, I will insert the qualifiers into the main draw above.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

I also have day 2 order of play:
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 08, 2013

CENTRE COURT

11:00 - LUKSIKA KUMKHUM (THA) V AYUMI MORITA (JPN)
13:00 - CHANELLE SCHEEPERS (RSA) V [2] SABINE LISICKI (GER)
15:00 - KIMIKO DATE-KRUMM (JPN) V [7] LAURA ROBSON (GBR)
17:00 - [4] ANABEL MEDINA GARRIGUES / SILVIA SOLER-ESPINOSA (ESP / ESP) V SAMANTHA STOSUR / SHUAI ZHANG (AUS / CHN)

COURT 1

11:00 - ANNA SCHMIEDLOVA (SVK) V [6] MADISON KEYS (USA)
13:00 - VANIA KING (USA) V [4] FLAVIA PENNETTA (ITA)
15:00 - [9] KRISTINA MLADENOVIC (FRA) V ALEKSANDRA WOZNIAK (CAN)
17:00 - MISAKI DOI / MIKI MIYAMURA (JPN / JPN) V JOHANNA LARSSON / MEGAN MOULTON-LEVY (SWE / USA)

COURT 2

11:00 - LAUREN DAVIS (USA) V BELINDA BENCIC (SUI)
13:00 - SHARON FICHMAN (CAN) V JIE ZHENG (CHN)
15:00 - SU-WEI HSIEH (TPE) V BARBORA ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA (CZE)
17:00 - KURUMI NARA / RISA OZAKI (JPN / JPN) V [3] VARVARA LEPCHENKO / SAISAI ZHENG (USA / CHN)

COURT 4

11:00 - SHUAI ZHANG (CHN) V ANABEL MEDINA GARRIGUES (ESP)
13:00 - POLONA HERCOG (SLO) V PETRA CETKOVSKA (CZE)
15:00 - DARIJA JURAK / MANDY MINELLA (CRO / LUX) V EUGENIE BOUCHARD / CAROLINE GARCIA (CAN / FRA)
17:00 - POLONA HERCOG / LISA RAYMOND (SLO / USA) V SHARON FICHMAN / HEATHER WATSON (CAN / GBR)

---

2 more Canadians in action plus Samantha playing doubles.
Then there is Sabine....
I wish I was in Osaka!

 

[jitemeb]

Hello Everyone, I am new to this forum, I am hoping that we can exchange ideas for the enhancement of knowledge as time goes on. I am already very impressed with Ozza and the confidence he brings across in his knowledge of questions asked. I really should have a nice time here. I have noticed that I have not really come across a proper discussion on potential matches and possible upsets and winners. Is it just something you do not do on here? Also I read in a post Ozza saying that top ten players are only allowed to enter 2 International tournaments. It compels me to seek clarification on the definition of an international. Finally, I look back to the old days and never once saw players like Becker, Lendl etc default for any frivolous reason as is common today. today we see so many players default at 0-5 in the final set etc. Would this really be down to increased dubious betting patterns in our modern sports world? Does one really have to give a reason for defaulting? Recently Jankovic gave her reason as hips or whatever having already secured points in the previous tournament. Ozza, welcome on board!

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Welcome!

Glad to have you here!

For a good explanation of different events and points, do some reading here:
http://www.wtatennis.com/all-about-rankings

Basically International tournaments offer 280 points and no less than $40,000 to the winner.

These events are 5th rated if you figure this way:

1) Grand Slams --> 2000 points
2) Premier Mandatory--> 1000 points
3) Premier 5 --> 900 points
4) Premier --> 470 points
5) International --> 280 points
6) WTA 125(new) --> 160 points

Until last year, International level events were the lowest on WTA Calender before the introduction of WTA 125s, one had to play the ITF circuit to play lower events.
The Top 10 are only to play 2 international events, they are encouraged to play premier level events.

But this week, there is no premier level event!

 

[britbox]

Hello Everyone, I am new to this forum, I am hoping that we can exchange ideas for the enhancement of knowledge as time goes on. I am already very impressed with Ozza and the confidence he brings across in his knowledge of questions asked. I really should have a nice time here. I have noticed that I have not really come across a proper discussion on potential matches and possible upsets and winners. Is it just something you do not do on here? Also I read in a post Ozza saying that top ten players are only allowed to enter 2 International tournaments. It compels me to seek clarification on the definition of an international. Finally, I look back to the old days and never once saw players like Becker, Lendl etc default for any frivolous reason as is common today. today we see so many players default at 0-5 in the final set etc. Would this really be down to increased dubious betting patterns in our modern sports world? Does one really have to give a reason for defaulting? Recently Jankovic gave her reason as hips or whatever having already secured points in the previous tournament. Ozza, welcome on board!

Welcome jitemb, you are our 200th member. Hope you enjoy it here.