Hobart International (WTA) 7th-13th Jan 2018

[BobbyMorri]

So my local tournament in its 25th year anniversary. I reckon I will try and go most days. Personally, i am really hoping Schmieds comes down here to qualify. Would make my year.

My thoughts earlier when the field was announced.

Hobart entry list. slightly biased with my love of this tournament.

Great that Mertens and Cornet are back. Interesting that last years finalist Niculescu didn't make the cutoff point. Really interested to watch talented teen, Markéta Vondroušová.

Hopefully, the new rules work and we don't get withdrawal city. I really want to watch Cirstea as well.

new news regarding wildcards. One of them has been given to
Eugenie Bouchard. yay......

She made the final down here in 2016 so miracles can happen. Tells you have far she has fallen when she needs a WC to enter Hobart of all places. Hobart seems to offer a WC to a big international name so this should have been expected really. They had Schiavone and Hantuchova in recent years as WC's. You think the rest will go to Aussies and young ones at that.

25 days to go.

Spoiler: Entry List

Zhang Shuai (CHN) No.35
Elise Mertens (BEL) No.36
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) No.37
Alize Cornet (FRA) No.38
Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) No.42
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) No.43
Tatjana Maria (GER) No.46
Mona Barthel (GER) No.47
Katerina Siniakova (CZE) No.48
Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) No.50 (SR)
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) No.51
Donna Vekic (CRO) No.54
Natalia Vikhlyantseva (RUS) No.55
Timea Babos (HUN) No.56
Shelby Rogers (USA) No.58
Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) No.59
Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) No.62
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) No.63
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) No.67
Naomi Osaka (JPN) No.68
Alison Riske (USA) No.70

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Jamie Fourlis has been awarded a WC.

 

[BobbyMorri]

because of that new rule regarding the fact that you cant play Hobart/Sydney and also play AO qualifiers, the qualifying draw is now only 24 girls strong, instead of 32. Will be interesting to see how that rule impacts the players between 100-300.

think is this is the Qually list back last week.

QList
1 LINETTE
2 SABALENKA
3 WATSON
4 FLIPKENS
5 VAN UYTVANCK
6 NICULESCU
7 PARMENTIER
8 KOZLOVA
9 BRENGLE
10 MARTIC
11 HIBINO
12 NARA
13 FETT
14 SORRIBES TORMO
15 BOGDAN
16 HOGENKAMP
17 DUQUE-MARIÑO
18 CEPELOVA
19 GIBBS
20 VICKERY
21 WC
22 WC
23 WC
24 WC
KREJCIKOVA
CABRERA
COLLINS
ROGOWSKA
KOSTOVA
SCHOOFS
STOLLAR
ZAJA

No Schmieds. Hoping Vickery makes her way down here so I can cheer on her opponent.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Draw is tonight. The Qualifying draw was just released. not something i normally interested in but i wanted to see how high the last direct entry would get.

https://www.hobartinternational.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/QS.pdf
(1)Watson v Birrell
Elie v (7)Hibino

(2)Flipkens v (wc)Jovanovic
Bains v (10)Bogdan

(3)Van Uytvanck v (wc)J. Moore
Cepelova v (9)Fett

(4)Niculescu v (wc)Bai
Kudryavtseva v (11)Hogenkamp

(5)Parmentier v Glushko
Stojanovic v (12)Duque-Marino

(6)Brengle v Kudermetova
(wc)Sharma v (8)Nara

Last direct acceptance.
Jennifer Elie - 378!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha. credit to Elie. she did this at the Aussie Open qualifying draw last year and just squeezed in. She won't this year but must have seen this as a chance to keep the points. After all, knowing all the withdrawals which about to come(especially with Auckland running late) there couple be more than a couple LL squeezing into the main draw.

Stojanovic and Glushko are ranked at 260-280ish so she isn't the only one. And the Aussie WC's would be even higher ranked. They cant be at Melbourne this year judging by the fact they are coming here.

At least with this setup, it gives those girls a 2nd chance at a different event if they don't qualify for the Aus Open. Rather that than have Vickery ruin the tournament by withdrawing later to rush to Melbourne and lose first round in Q(I love karma)

this is Elies story last year good luck to all the long shots.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/...-239th-ranked-australian-open-qualifying.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/...-239th-ranked-australian-open-qualifying.html

 

[BobbyMorri]

Main draw. Shouldnt have too many withdrawls TBH.
(1)Zhang v Linette
(wc)Bouchard v Sabalenka
Putintseva v Osaka
Babos v (5)Tsurenko

(4)Cornet v Buzarnescu
Q v Friedsam
Q v Kr. Pliskova
Riske v (8)Siniakova

(7)Maria v Vekic
Vondrousova v Vikhylantseva
(wc)Fourlis v Q
Q v (3)Cirstea

(6)Begu v Q
Lepchenko v Barthel
Haddad Maia v (wc)Cabrera
Q v (2)Mertens

Cabrera got the last WC, which has been on the cards for a while(Aus Open WC as well, hence why she is here)

Good draws for the Aussies. Hopefully i can watch Vondrousova v Vikhylantseva and Bouchard v Sabalenka, if Bouchard turns up. Ohh and Cirstea as well.

 

[ozgamer]

No Schmieds. Hoping Vickery makes her way down here so I can cheer on her opponent.

Well you know she won't because she'll be in AOQ's next week

And she beat Aga to make the Auckland semis

 

[BobbyMorri]

Bit annoyed i missed todays tennis. *curses work*

Genie lost. not a shock. Sorana and Cornet both lost in the first round. This sucks.

 

[MattWriting]

At least Jaimee Fourlis made it through. Her 2rd match is against Heather Watson who always seems to get a write up as the next big British thing, but hasn’t saluted

And Donna Vekic still in the draw (Y)

 

[BobbyMorri]

At least Jaimee Fourlis made it through. Her 2rd match is against Heather Watson who always seems to get a write up as the next big British thing, but hasn’t saluted

And Donna Vekic still in the draw (Y)

going to watch her tonight. cant wait.

 

[ozgamer]

Heather Watson who always seems to get a write up as the next big British thing, but hasn’t saluted

That was the case but not since Konta has been British women's #1.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Colour me shocked Genie lost...has she won a match in the last 9 months?

 

[BobbyMorri]

Colour me shocked Genie lost...has she won a match in the last 9 months?

sounded like the only way Genie won a point was when Sabalenka hit a double fault.

Saw Vekic v Vondrousova and Putintseva v Tsurenko last night. Vekic did what she had to do. Wasnt that impressed with Vondrousova though. Big hitter yes but very raw still. I am not sure of her backhand yet and Vekic seemed to target that side. Vondrousova also played the worst drop shots at the worst of times. She will get better though. She is only 19.

Putintseva is a nut job. Completely off her head. Doesn't have a weapon outside getting the ball back and once Tsurenko got climatised, she thrashed her. Not much to say outside that TBH

Watched Shuai Zhang and Sabalenka today. Damn, they smashed the ball. by far the biggest hitters i have seen this week. I like Sabelenka. Massive ball basher but they do stay hit.

 

[BobbyMorri]

If I just close my eyes and listen, it almost sounds like Azarenka has made her way down to Hobart. Sabalenka is very similar to Azarenka in so many ways. Though her grunt is actually a grunt.

She Playing shocking ATM.

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[JackNah_8]

BobbyM is Schmiedlova A. K. your favourite player?

She won today - AO qualifying

Schmiedlova A. K. def Wallace 57 63 73

 

[BobbyMorri]

BobbyM is Schmiedlova A. K. your favourite player?

She won today - AO qualifying

Schmiedlova A. K. def Wallace 57 63 73

I think she might be. Her final story will be one of rebirth and rediscovery. I do like my emotional, headcases of a tennis player.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Yesterday was shocking for games. Can't understate how wayward Sabalenka was. she may trouble Barty in the AO, or could lose 6-0, 6-0. It was a shocker.

The Riske game showed signs of potential but that too was a bit one-sided in the end. I hope/think this Mertens, Watson game will be a ripper if the weather holds. The winner will likely win the tournament and become the first 2 time winner of this tournament. I think that is destined to happen on the 25th anniversary of this little gem. Bout to go in a watch it.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Mertens v Buzarnescu in the final tomorrow(hopefully). the weather is terrible so I don't know when it will actually be played. certainly be delayed though.

Buzarnescu is a great story. One I didn't know about til this week. She was ranked at nearly 500 in the world and now, the 29-year-old will play in her first WTA title.

THe Waston-Mertens match was a showpiece of how important it is to keep the momentum. Waston had won the 2nd set easily and had a couple of BP to make it 2-0 in the last set. Didn't take them and then played a shocking 2 games and suddenly the score was 4-1 and she was a long way back. Wasnt the greatest of quality but it was super windy and it had its moments.

 

[BobbyMorri]

what a terrible day. feel sorry for the players as much us punters. been 2 lengthy breaks with just under an hour of tennis in between. They will hopefully get the finals done by midnight. It is such a shame that after a successful week, the 2 biggest drawing days(Friday-Saturday) have had such unpleasant weather. The new tournament director has done a fantastic job in drawing in more people and make it more than just the tennis.

Mertens was winning 6-1, 2-1*

 

[BobbyMorri]

This is a good final ATM. Best tennis I have watched this week. Buzanescu likes to argue line calls and is a typical Romanian hothead. Mertens has been more consistent.

It is also freaking cold. Mertens ahead in the last 4-1.

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[BobbyMorri]

Buz saves you match points at 5-2 and.....

It starts to rain again. God damn it

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[Bumpswithagrin]

Buz saves you match points at 5-2 and.....

It starts to rain again. God damn it

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You’ll be there all night!

 

[BobbyMorri]

You’ll be there all night!

And the baristas just packed up. It has stopped now. Let's get the towels everyone

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[BobbyMorri]

Here we go. 2 mins left of the warm up and the match restarts once more #couldfinishin2points

 

[2Knights]

Here we go. 2 mins left of the warm up and the match restarts once more #couldfinishin2points

Kudos for sticking it out. Watched Mertens at the Hopman Cup - she can play. Hope she goes well at the AO.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Here we go. 2 mins left of the warm up and the match restarts once more #couldfinishin2points

If it’s any consolation it’s still raining here in Melbourne too.