TORAY PAN PACIFIC OPEN 2014

[Hoergren]

Main Draw: Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Japan

(1) Kerber vs Bye
Zahlavova-Strycova vs Svitolina
Vandeweghe vs Q
Flipkens vs (6) Cibulkova

(3) Ivanovic vs Bye
Azerenka vs wc-Date-Krumm
wc-Bencic vs Kuznetsova
Keys vs (7) Safarova

(5) Errani vs Q
wc-Lisicki vs Dellacqua
Muguruza vs Pavlyuchenkova
(4) Jankovic vs bye

(8) Suarez-Navarro vs Nara
Davis vs Q
Hantuchova vs Q
(2) Wozniacki vs Bye


Weather Tokyo from Sunday - looks okay

Sunday Light Rain Shower 27°C 20°C North North Easterly 5mph
Monday Light Cloud 27°C 21°C East South Easterly 5mph
Tuesday Light Cloud 27°C 21°C South Westerly 5mph
Wednesday Light Cloud 26°C 20°C East North Easterly 7mph

Ariake Maincourt has a capacity around 10000 seats with Retractable roof

Tennis enthusiasts love Ariake Tennis Park, where one can hear the sounds of tennis balls being hit by the rackets from towards the trees. On the expansive grounds is the 10,000-seat center court, called Ariake Coliseum, which hold international tennis competitions, BJ League basketball games, martial arts competitions, concerts and other events. There are also 48 outdoor tennis courts and grassy plazas. Tennis courts can be rented by the hour so that even beginners can freely make use of them. The park is scattered about with bronze statues and other monuments, the fragrance of fine arts drifts about the woods and tree-lined paths and squares have cherry blossoms in spring and azaleas in early summer. Ariake Tennis Park bustles with visitors who come to enjoy walking, jogging and picnicking.

 

[faradubii]

The battle for Singapore heats up...

 

[Hoergren]

And welcome to you Faradubii. Caroline on the run - here a photo from her tour:

Caroline Wozniacki @CaroWozniacki · 3 h

Beautiful run in Tokyo!

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Holy top half, if Woz doesn't make the final, well then I don't know.

 

[faradubii]

So this tourney became a 470 points one, and Wuhan took it's place as a 900?

 

[10isfan]

Welcome, Faradubii. You are right. Tokyo is 470. Wuhan is 900.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Explains why Serena is playing Wuhan a good amount of points you can add there.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

So this tourney became a 470 points one, and Wuhan took it's place as a 900?

It gets more complicated too, Asia is the only place where the tour is expanding in a big way, along with a couple of other places that are enjoying modest expantion, like south America and Europe.
The added 470 pointer means one can now score up to 4000 points after US open!
Here in the USA, the tour is shrinking, there is talk about doing away with stuff.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Didn't they down grade Tokyo when the new Wuhan tournament is now a Premier event? or am I incorrect?

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

They did, but since that happened, now we have a 470 pointer leading up to the two big ones (900 pointer and 1000 pointer).
Last year, there were only International level events leading up to the 2 big ones. In addition, they have added two 125k events at the end of the year and one at the beginning.
Then we have Singapore! When was the last time the YEC was held in the Western World?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I will be interested to see at the end of year championships held at Singapore if they get the crowds like they did at Istanbul? I also understand the view point of the WTA wanting to expand the Asia circuit.

 

[rubydo]

I am all for expanding the horizons of the tennis world, but I cannot justify the elimination of some tournaments in the USA. It really appalls me to see tournaments like the one in San Jose disappear, one that Milos Raonic really enjoyed and did well at, it was a scintillating final last year with Tommy Hass. Dollars do dictate in these days where tournaments will get bigger crowds and it seems Asia has the market on this. Virtually, impossible for most of us to get over there to cover an event, cost is extreme, even for me being on the west coast. I have never envisioned going to Asia to cover a tennis event, but perhaps one day it may happen. Yes, I will be interested to see if Singapore will draw crowds to justify the move from Istanbul, after the women's year end event was held there. At least the men, still remain in London.

 

[Hoergren]

Order of play Monday, September 15, 2014

Center Court
11:00 - [3] Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) V [7] Misa Eguchi (JPN) 64 64 Q
13:00 - [2] Marina Erakovic (NZL) V Junri Namigata (JPN) 61 61 Q
14:30 - Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) V Belinda Bencic (SUI) 36 06
16:30 - Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) V Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 63 75

Court 1
11:00 - [4] Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) V [8] Eri Hozumi (JPN) 62 62 Q
12:30 - Madison Keys (USA) V [7] Lucie Safarova (CZE) 76 46 26
14:30 - Shuko Aoyama / Kurumi Nara (JPN / JPN) V [2] Raquel Kops-Jones / Abigail Spears (USA / USA) 16 36
16:30 - Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) V Elina Svitolina (UKR) 46 16

Court 3
12:00 - [9] Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) V Daria Gavrilova (RUS) 26 62 46 Q
14:00 - Alicja Rosolska / Olga Savchuk (POL / UKR) V Jelena Jankovic / Arantxa Parra Santonja (SRB / ESP) 26 06

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

My Sveta v The Young Swiss Miss who has a new ranking of no 33 will be a match I won't want to miss.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I am all for expanding the horizons of the tennis world, but I cannot justify the elimination of some tournaments in the USA. It really appalls me to see tournaments like the one in San Jose disappear, one that Milos Raonic really enjoyed and did well at, it was a scintillating final last year with Tommy Hass. Dollars do dictate in these days where tournaments will get bigger crowds and it seems Asia has the market on this. Virtually, impossible for most of us to get over there to cover an event, cost is extreme, even for me being on the west coast. I have never envisioned going to Asia to cover a tennis event, but perhaps one day it may happen. Yes, I will be interested to see if Singapore will draw crowds to justify the move from Istanbul, after the women's year end event was held there. At least the men, still remain in London.

The US needs tennis players/stars and ASAP. Having one dependable singles player in Serena holding down America isn't going to cut it. Until the US can get some more names, I fear tournaments are going to keep disappearing.

 

[kskate2]

They agreed to bring the tour championships over to Asia because of the success of Li Na. She is a like Michael Jordan over there. The problem now, Li is talking of retirement. I think the WTA agreed to do 5 years in Singapore, more than they have agreed to do at any other recent location. Hopefully, this won't bite them in the rear when Li retires as I don't see her playing another 5 years. Zhang and the other Chinese players aren't going to bring the crowd that Li does.

 

[Hoergren]

TV from day 1 - times are CET and they are just approximate

04:00 Kudryavtseva - Hozumi (WTA Tokyo)

05:30 Keys - Safarova (WTA Tokyo)

07:00 Aoyama / Nara - Kops-Jones / Spears (WTA Tokyo)

07:30 Kuznetsova - Bencic (WTA Tokyo)

08:30 Zahlavova Strycova - Svitolina (WTA Tokyo)

09:00 Muguruza - Pavlyuchenkova (WTA Tokyo)

NO TV? - don't despair:

http://www.drakulastream.eu/tennis-live-streaming-video.html

 

[Hoergren]

Vika and Caro at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on Sept 14, 2014. (Photo AFP) during a charity event

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Martina Hingis and Belinda Bencic have been granted a w/card into the doubles competition

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Martina Hingis and Belinda Bencic have been granted a w/card into the doubles competition

I take it that Flavia is not around.