ATP/WTA Australian Summer of Tennis 2024

[BobbyMorri]

Here we are again. Novak and Iga are the world number 1 with Novak having the added benefit of being a defending champ at the Aus Open. But all that is several weeks away. first, we have the warm up tournaments.

United Cup
Venue: Perth – RAC Arena, Sydney – Ken Rosewall Arena
Group Stage – 29 December 2023 to 5 January 2024
Finals – 6 to 7 January 2024,
Category: ATP / WTA international mixed team competition

Brisbane International
31 December 2023 to 7 January 2024
Venue: Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane
Category: WTA 500 / ATP 250
Draw size: WTA – 48 singles / 24 doubles; ATP – 32 singles, 24 doubles

Canberra International
31 December 2023 to 6 January 2024
Venue: Canberra Tennis Centre, Canberra
Category: ATP Challenger 125 / WTA 125
Draw size: ATP – 32 singles, 16 doubles; WTA – 32 singles, 16 doubles

Adelaide International
8-13 January 2024
Venue: The Drive, Adelaide
Category: WTA 500 / ATP 250
Draw size: WTA – 32 singles, 16 doubles; ATP – 28 singles, 24 doubles

Hobart International
8-13 January 2024
Venue: Domain Tennis Centre, Hobart
Category: WTA 250
Draw size: 32 singles, 16 doubles

Great to see the Brisbane International back. Canberra now a 125K womens event and the Adelaide international is cut to just the 1 tournament this year. We are almost back to where we were before all the changes. Indeed, the United Cup is the Hopman Cup, but with actual points to be won. It is now just the 1 single tie for men and women and a mixed doubles. Should create less dead matches between mismatched opponents. The Kooyong Classic is still a thing as well, not included in the above. I couldnt care less about that TBH.

Internationally, We have the Auckland double (WTA/ATP over 2 weeks) and the Hong Kong open for the men in the first week. Out of the top 10, only Coco Gauff is playing overseas, so most eyes will be on Aus.

I will go through draws a bit later on. I have seen Hobart(my local), and well, it is a bit poor. Mertens, Collins, Sloane and Linda Noskova are the only interesting players for mine. better than last year but I swear the quality has dropped from the pre-covid years.

 

[matt_897]

This very well be the last year that our summer looks like this with potential Saudi Arabia changes coming.

I'm sure we will hear something in January.

 

[JamisonRun40]

Well done Bobbi for starting up the thread.
I'm off to the United Cup in Perth on the Saturday to watch Poland v IDK who. They didn't have an opponent at time of booking but I don't care. I'm just looking forward to watching some live tennis. Price was pretty reasonable and it starts at 5.30pm.

 

[BobbyMorri]

I am confused by the fact that Thiem and Raducanu are scheduled for Qualies for the AO

I get it, there is a high chance both will make the cut to the main draw (Their rankings are in the low 100's) but kinda think both should get WC's regardless. Both are still big names. Would love Raducanu in Hobart for example. (if she is fit)

I will get around to the entry lists and previews in the next day or so.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I am confused by the fact that Thiem and Raducanu are scheduled for Qualies for the AO

I get it, there is a high chance both will make the cut to the main draw (Their rankings are in the low 100's) but kinda think both should get WC's regardless. Both are still big names. Would love Raducanu in Hobart for example. (if she is fit)

I will get around to the entry lists and previews in the next day or so.

Apart from marketing reasons why should Radacanu get a WC? Give me any reason. Barely won a match since the US Open fluke.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Apart from marketing reasons why should Radacanu get a WC? Give me any reason. Barely won a match since the US Open fluke.

because of her US Open fluke.

She is a grand slam champion and a recent one at that. She is "only" ranked that high because of injury. (and poor form)

 

[LukeParkerno1]

because of her US Open fluke.

She is a grand slam champion and a recent one at that. She is "only" ranked that high because of injury. (and poor form)

It’s purely poor form. Make her qualify and show something before being gifted Wildcards

 

[matt_897]

Wow I actually agree for once. Make her qualify, I honestly don’t think she has enough star power to justify taking an Aussie spot

Thiem will get in directly since he’s next in

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Wow I actually agree for once. Make her qualify, I honestly don’t think she has enough star power to justify taking an Aussie spot

Thiem will get in directly since he’s next in

Bingo. Thiem will get in anyway but I'm so over Radacanu being gifted WC’s like they are confetti

 

[PenrithGWS]

Novak.

Absolute machine.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Novak.

Absolute machine.

Bloke will win the Aus Open again and achive the all time record of 25 grand slams

 

[danstar]

Pumped for the summer of tennis, ive missed it. Novak for mine will win again, the womens like always , throw a raffle for the winner, could be any number of about 10 players or a total outsider no one has heard of.

 

[BobbyMorri]

My first bout of Covid happened on X-Mas day.....

Anyway,

United Cup
29 December 2023 – 7 January 2024 (Sydney- Group Stage and Finals, Perth - Group Stage and 1/4 finals)

The biggest headliner this summer. It will feature nine of the world’s Top 20 men, including Djokovic, Tsitsipas and Zverev plus Five of the world’s Top 10 women will compete, including Swiatek. It has a different format, so most ties should be fairly balanced as it is only 1 tie for each man and women.

Perth Teams Group A Poland Spain Brazil Group C United States Great Britain Australia Group E Czech Republic China Serbia​

SYDNEY Group B Greece Canada Chile Group D France Italy Germany Group F Croatia Netherlands Norway​

Player List | United Cup | Tennis

United Cup Player List

www.unitedcup.com

I won't bother listing all the players. click the link above.

Just think most of the big players are here. It also means Perth gets both Novak and Swiatek, the 2 number 1's. Australia has Alex and Aja with Millman providing back-up.

Last year, the teams from Sydney had the advantage of playing in the same city the whole time. Think the Greeks will be the team to beat because of that. Stefo and Sakkari are due to win something for Greece eventually.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Brisbane International
(WTA 500 - ATP 250)
31 December 2023–7 January 2024

The return of an old favourite. The Brisbane International was a fantastic event in the 2010s and I am glad it is back. it always had a very good field and was highly competitive. Just look at some of the former winners. Murray, Serena, Azarenka and of course Federer.

Again, there is a very good list of players scheduled to play here. A lot of Russians.

Player (WTA)	Rank	Player (ATP)	Rank
Aryna Sabalenka	2	Holger Rune	8
Elena Rybakina	4	Grigor Dimitrov	14
Jeļena Ostapenko	13	Ben Shelton	17
Liudmila Samsonova	16	Ugo Humbert	20
Daria Kasatkina	18	Sebastian Korda	24
Veronika Kudermetova	19	Sebastián Báez	28
Ekaterina Alexandrova	21	Tomás Martín Etcheverry	30
Victoria Azarenka	22	Aslan Karatsev	35

Not listed above is the return of Rafa Nadal. Hopefully, he can get through it without injury. The guy deserves a farewell tour. Another big-name player returning after 18 months and a baby is Osaka. We forget how big of a name she is with 4 Grand Slam titles and mainstream attention. If she returns with the right frame of mind and is well-rested, then she could easily win in Melbourne again. She is that sort of player.

Always tough to predict a winner of the first week but Brisbane has always been a good form guide. Probably the best form guide of the summer. Korda has big points to defend and will need a good start. Likewise Shelton. I will go for those 2 in the final. For the girls, Sabalenka feels like the sort of player to win this.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

BobbyMorri just letting you know Rybakina may be doubtful for that event she may or may not be ready by then was on her Insta. She’s more than happy to do a training block

 

[BobbyMorri]

Adelaide International
WTA 500 - ATP 250
8–13 January 2024

Player (ATP)	Rank	Player (WTA)	Rank
Tommy Paul	13	Elena Rybakina	4
Nicolás Jarry	19	Jessica Pegula	5
Ugo Humbert	20	Markéta Vondroušová	7
Tallon Griekspoor	23	Karolína Muchová (OUT)	8
Sebastian Korda	24	Barbora Krejčíková	10
Lorenzo Musetti	27	Beatriz Haddad Maia	11
Sebastián Báez	28	Madison Keys	12
Tomás Martín Etcheverry	30	Jeļena Ostapenko	13

Just like the old Sydney tournament, the WTA field is stacked while the ATP is not too bad surprisingly. I have seen worse. thankfully, just the one tournament this year for Adelaide.

WC's for Kerber and Ajla Tomljanović and one for Kokk, who always seems to do something amazing at his home tournament. Korda is the defending runner-up of Adelaide 1. I doubt Muchova will play here, as she has already withdrawn from Brisbane.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Hobart International
WTA 250
8–13 January 2024

Player	Rank
Elise Mertens	29
Emma Navarro	32
Marie Bouzková	34
Wang Xinyu	36
Zhu Lin	37
Linda Nosková	41
Martina Trevisan	42
Varvara Gracheva	43

My home tournament. it is not super bad, but not great. Still, we have Collins and Stephens while Mertens will look to rediscover her singles form at a tournament where she has done very well in the past. As always with the 2nd week, WCs will probably be given out late and to Aussies who have WC's for the Aus open. The defending champ, Lauren Davis, withdrew with injury in mid-December, which is a shame.

 

[Cats_R_Cool_4_Ever]

Cannot wait for United Cup to start tomorrow haven’t seen the smaller tournaments for ages bc I don’t have streams to watch them now but at least I get to watch all the ones leading to AO. Wish I could go to AO too but no one will go still but seems it’s Rafa’s last year I’m trying to find a way in which I can go…no luck so far!

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

The GOAT has returned

 

[Hamingja]

What a start to the summer. Seyboth Wild serves an ace that is 6 inches long on the very first point and the automatic line calling doesn't call it out. Fokina wanted to see the replay and they couldn't provide it. It is either not working or some idiot didn't turn it on to start with. Bit of an issue.

 

[Drummond]

Muchova out of the whole Aussie swing, that sucks. So injury prone.

 

[danstar]

Muchova should just retire, clearly her body isnt up to what tennis requires

 

[YeoShuey]

No Kyrgios. Have to wonder who they will send to JCA for the crowd hype?

I’d say De Minaur would be a good call.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

What a shock Mr boring no weapons Di Minaur getting trounced

Drummond

 

[matt_897]

What a shock Mr boring no weapons Di Minaur getting trounced

Drummond

What a surprise, lukeParkersno1 think 6-4 is getting trounced

On an actual tennis notice, the courts and balls seem even slower this year. Not great for Alex