2013 Brisbane International

[matt_897]

The first tour stop of the year is the Brisbane International which gets underway on January 29 at the very nice Pat Rafter arena:

Men's Players' List: http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/players/mens-singles-2013

Headlined by last year's champ Andy Murray, he is obivously one of the big storyline of 2013 and whether he can back up his US Open win with another slam this year. This is where his preparations begin. Other players Milos Raonic, Gillies Simon, Alexander Dolgopolov, kei Nishikori and Radek Stepanek who has had a good record here. Marinko Matosevic is the only direct entry Aussie in this event and it will be fascinating to see how he handles being the no.1 Australian, a much more intersting storyline than watching Tomic the Tank Engine. Lleyton Hewitt has a WC as well (just going to miss out on direct entry) but this is his first appearance here as he has usually played Hopman Cup in previous years. Matt Ebden also has a WC here and his goals to make top 30 this season, good luck with that..... One of more WC will be awarded, would be thinking maybe James Duckworth after his good effort here last year.

Women's Players List: http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/players/womens-singles-2013

Stronger field than the men's because it's a premier event on the WTA and it seems to be getting better every year. Kaia Kanepi shocked everybody and won last year but she ahs been struggling with injuries lately and won't be in the field. Serena Wliiams, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Sam Stosur are some of the big names in the field. Aamazingly, out of the top 10 only Na Li and Aga Radwanska are the only ones not in thie field so this will be a great opening test to see who is ready for the Australian Open. Can Stosur play any better than last year's dismal effort? the hope is she is ready first round because it will no doubt be a tough match given the field. Gajdsova got a WC after her ranking has plummeted and is looking to make a fresh start in 2013. As far as I'm aware there is at least one WC remaining and maybe two (the last WC always has strange rules on it) and TA will announce that soemtime this week.

TV Coverage: It's all on 7Two:
Sun Dec 30: 12.30pm AEDST - 5pm AEDST
Mon Dec 31 - Fri Jan 4: 12.30pm AEDST - 6pm AEDST ; 8pm AEDST - 11.30pm AEDST
Sat Jan 5: 2pm AEDST - 6.30pm AEDST ; 8pm AEDST - 11.30pm AEDST
Sun Jan 6: 11am AEDST - 6pm AEDST

Women's final is on Saturday night and the men's final is usually on later in the day on Sunday usually around 3.30pm.

All discussion of this tournament is done here.

 

[Redline]

I see the draw is now 28 which is becoming more common. Personally I like a 32 draw but I guess it helps get the big names.

 

[Chris_2593]

Ben Mitchell got the final WC and Olivia Rogowska got the womens. Isnt that only 2 for the women? Liv and Jarka? Or did i miss something. Anyway love this tournment. The arena looks amazing. Good too see 7 are going to start coverage on Sunday aswell.

 

[Chris_2593]

1)Vania King (USA) v Paula Ormaechea (ARG)
Daria Gavrilova (RUS) v Mariana Duque-Marino (COL)
Marta Sirotkina (RUS) v Monique Adamczak (AUS)
Alexa Glatch (USA) v (5)Ksenia Pervak (KAZ)

(2)Camila Giorgi (ITA) v Vera Dushevina (RUS)
(wc)Viktorija Rajicic (AUS) v Monica Puig (PUR)
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) v (wc)Lizette Cabrera (AUS)
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) v (8)Vesna Dolonc (SRB)

(3)Alexandra Panova (RUS) v Karin Knapp (ITA)
(wc)Bojana Bobusic (AUS) v (wc)Arina Rodionova (RUS)
Kurumi Nara (JPN) v Estrella Cabeza Candela (ESP)
Teliana Pereira (BRA) v (6)Kristyna Pliskova (CZE)

(4)Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) v Johanna Konta (GBR)
Mallory Burdette (USA) v Lesia Tsurenko (UKR)
Eva Birnerova (CZE) v Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB)
Karolina Pliskova (CZE) v (7)Olga Puchkova (RUS)

Not the best of draws. Mon could beat Siroktkina but she has been playing well and just won a tournemnt last week. Rajicic can play well when she wants to but Puig is a good player impressive end of the season last year. Random WC for Lizette she is only 14 she has no chance. Should have given the WC to Priscalla Hon another impressive 14 year old who reached the semi finals in the wildcard play off. Bojana should be able to account for Arina. Qualifying starts at 11AM AEDT tomorrow.

 

[tazzietiger]

The official draw is being done at the Carindale shopping centre currently(10:30am local time) should be up on the site soon I would imagine.

 

[tazzietiger]

Looking at the draw could be a couple good games in the women event if each player progresses to the quarter-finals.

Stosur and Serena
Wozniacki and Azarenka
Kvitova and Kerber

 

[Chris_2593]

Mens Draw:

(1) Andy Murray (GBR) vs Bye
Tatsuma Ito (JPN) vs Qualifier
Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs (WC) Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
(8) Martin Klizan (SVK) vs Denis Istomin (UZB)

(4) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) vs Bye
Julien Benneteau (FRA) vs Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs Qualifier
(5) Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs Marinko Matosevic (AUS)

(6) Florian Mayer (GER) vs Santiago Giraldo (COL)
(WC) Benjamin Mitchell (AUS) vs Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Qualifier vs Alejandro Falla (COL)
(3) Gilles Simon (FRA) vs Bye

(7) Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs Qualifier
(WC) Matthew Ebden (AUS) vs David Goffin (BEL)
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs Brian Baker (USA)
(2) Milos Raonic (CAN) vs Bye

Not good draws for the Aussies. The only one im expecting a win from is Hewitt. And that will be tough given Stepanek's record at Brisbane.

 

[Chris_2593]

Womens Draw:

(1)Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v BYE
Sabine Lisicki (GER) v Lucie Safarova (CZE)
Urszula Radwanska (POL) v Tamira Paszek (AUT)
Q v (8)Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

(3)Serena Williams (USA) v Varvara Lepchenko (USA)
Alize Cornet (FRA) v Q
Sloane Stephens (USA) v Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) v (7)Samantha Stosur (AUS)

(6)Petra Kvitova (CZE) v Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
Lucie Hradecka (CZE) v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
(wc)Olivia Rogowska (AUS) v Q
Anna Tatishvili (GEO) v (4)Angelique Kerber (GER)

(5)Sara Errani (ITA) v Q
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) v Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP)
Roberta Vinci (ITA) v (wc)Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS)
BYE v (2)Maria Sharapova (RUS)

Stosur could be tested by Sofia but should win. Cibulkova/Stephens will be tough but she should make quaterfinals at least. Jarka has no chance at beating Vinci. Liv has to win her match. The highest rank qualifier is Vania King who is ranked 69. Liv also got a Sydney WC. Time to produce some results.

 

[matt_897]

Poor draw for the Aussie men overall. Hewitt has a tough ask against stepanek given Step's record here but it should be a good match to watch, it will be played on Tuesday night. Nishikori will be a bit too gritty for Matosevic to handle. Goffin hasn't done that much since his good middle of last season but suprised if Ebden wins. and yeah, Mitchell wasn't beating anybody.

Stosur really should beat Arvidsson but who know when she goes from I can win the australian open to I have an ankle injury for the last month in one week. If she made to the 2nd round you could make an arguement that Cibulkova would be a better matchup than Stephens but both are tough. Rogowska got anice draw but we won't know till qualies are over. Looking forward to the Gajdosova error fest tomorrow....

Great effort from Bojana Bobusic to make the final round of qualies, for a player of her rank, it's a bit of a surprise. Men have lost a couple of close ones today with Reid and Smith losing 3 setters, Millman beat Saville pretty easily (wonder if that changes TA's mind on anything regarding AO). Duckworth playing Krygios right now.

 

[Chris_2593]

Would love to see millman get an AO WC. Tomorrows schedule is:

Gajdosova vs Vinci
Kvitova vs Suarez Navarro
Williams vs Lepchenko

I will be at work looks like I'm not missing much.

 

[hirdy_is_champ]

Baghdatis is really up and down, so I guess if the down version rocks up Mitchell will have a shot. Apart from that as already said, I can really only see Lleyton winning of the Aussies.

Women's side, wouldn't surprised to see them all bomb, although if Jarka has a clear mind Vinci is someone she can probably hit off the court. Would be surprised if Rogowska won as a qualifier will have matches under their belt. Stosur, well, she's now saying she's had ankle surgery of late, and I don't think this surface suits her game at all (choking or not). I'd be happy if she just got to the QF, anything from there would be a bonus.

 

[Blood Bath]

Poor draw for the Aussie men overall. Hewitt has a tough ask against stepanek given Step's record here but it should be a good match to watch, it will be played on Tuesday night. Nishikori will be a bit too gritty for Matosevic to handle. Goffin hasn't done that much since his good middle of last season but suprised if Ebden wins. and yeah, Mitchell wasn't beating anybody.

Stosur really should beat Arvidsson but who know when she goes from I can win the australian open to I have an ankle injury for the last month in one week. If she made to the 2nd round you could make an arguement that Cibulkova would be a better matchup than Stephens but both are tough. Rogowska got anice draw but we won't know till qualies are over. Looking forward to the Gajdosova error fest tomorrow....

Great effort from Bojana Bobusic to make the final round of qualies, for a player of her rank, it's a bit of a surprise. Men have lost a couple of close ones today with Reid and Smith losing 3 setters, Millman beat Saville pretty easily (wonder if that changes TA's mind on anything regarding AO). Duckworth playing Krygios right now.

Oh well, it's good in a way. Means they can get some tough tight matches in before the Aus Open, which will be especially beneficial for Matosevic and Ebden who could do with some experience.

 

[matt_897]

Oh well, it's good in a way. Means they can get some tough tight matches in before the Aus Open, which will be especially beneficial for Matosevic and Ebden who could do with some experience.

Ebden has been on the tour (I mean ATP level) for over a year now, he doesn't need experience, his game has just simply regressed over the last 6 months. Am very curious how he comes out this summer.

And Matosevic needs the wins because he has a ton of points coming off in Feb and has nothing to defend this summer. Nishikori will certainly show where his game is at which will be a good thing.

 

[Blood Bath]

Ebden has been on the tour (I mean ATP level) for over a year now, he doesn't need experience, his game has just simply regressed over the last 6 months. Am very curious how he comes out this summer.

And Matosevic needs the wins because he has a ton of points coming off in Feb and has nothing to defend this summer. Nishikori will certainly show where his game is at which will be a good thing.

I doubt either of them, and Hewitt, will be even slightly disappointed drawing quality players such as them. It's just what they need before a Grand Slam, a good hit out with quality opponents.

 

[matt_897]

I doubt either of them, and Hewitt, will be even slightly disappointed drawing quality players such as them. It's just what they need before a Grand Slam, a good hit out with quality opponents.

Hewitt doesn't care about ranking so it doesn't matter for him. But Matosevic and Ebden, like most other players will be thinking about the bigger picture, their ranking and obviously the easier the match the more chance they will win. That's just common knowledge

 

[Blood Bath]

Hewitt doesn't care about ranking so it doesn't matter for him. But Matosevic and Ebden, like most other players will be thinking about the bigger picture, their ranking and obviously the easier the match the more chance they will win. That's just common knowledge

As much as Hewitt loves tennis, he obviously still does care about ranking points (as every tennis player does). I'm sure Hewitt is looking to have a strong Australian summer to try and get back into the worlds top 50 ASAP.

 

[tazzietiger]

Just mentioned on the tv coverage Australian Bojana Bobusic has qualified into the main draw.

 

[matt_897]

Just mentioned on the tv coverage Australian Bojana Bobusic has qualified into the main draw.

Yep, pretty awesome effort. Hopefully she can draw Rogowska now.

 

[Sir Vlado]

Gajdosova playing at a pretty solid top 30 level at the moment. This could just be one of those matches where everything she hits goes in but she's playing miles better compared to recent times. Vinci seems almost helpless.

 

[hirdy_is_champ]

Lol, I kind of picked that result from Jarka in my last post. Was a good measured performance from her though, very happy to see that. She has sick groundies, so if she can mix that in with some good tactics, she'll be back into the top 50 in no time. Sharapova up next, she's got nothing to lose.

 

[matt_897]

Well, that was another surprise. Thought Vinci was pretty bad in those last couple of sets but nice to see Jarka's shots landing in and playing well. She is going to have good and bad matches but that was promising

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

If Jarmila starts to think about her tennis a little more, she will become a very good player.

When her game is off, she can lose to anybody.

 

[CHBench]

Can't believe that was Jarka's first WTA win since Roland Garros.

*Stolen shamelessly off Twitter.

 

[Chris_2593]

Great win from Jarka. Only caught the last bit of the third set she seemed to be playing alright.

Bobusic got Cornet and Liv got Puig. I will give Liv a shot i dunno about Boj as she has played some tought matches.

 

[hirdy_is_champ]

Just mentioned on the tv coverage Australian Bojana Bobusic has qualified into the main draw.

Did anyone hear how one of the commentators said that she was 15? Lol she's bloody 25, where do they pull this shit from?!?!?

Also I'm not liking this NYE session, who the hell is going to be home? Most people are gonna be on this piss....