2011 AAMI Classic starts tomorrow

Written by: Staff on 11th January 2011

2011 AAMI Classic starts tomorrow |

All 8 players are now in town for the 2011 AAMI Classic at Kooyong, beginning tomorrow. The spiritual home of Australian tennis has being dressed for the occasion and the first ball will be hit at 11.00 am.

Top seed TOMAS BERDYCH (CZE–6) has come from Chennai, where he lost to Stanislas Wawrinka in the semi-finals. FERNANDO VERDASCO (ESP-9) will be keen to defend his AAMI Classic title after an early exit in Brisbane last week. JURGEN MELZER (AUT-11) was the first to arrive and has been practising three times a day since, so means business.

The Kooyong event will be MIKHAIL YOUZHNY’s (RUS-10) andGAEL MONFILS’S (FRA-12) first 2011 Australian appearances.JO-WILFRIED TSONGA (FRA-13) arrived late Saturday, having started the year well, making the semis in Doha where he lost to Roger Federer. NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO (RUS-22) got in yesterday, having maintained his good form in Doha, losing to Roger Federer in the final. LLEYTON HEWITT (AUS-54) is making his Kooyong debut and is looking forward to three tough matches during the week.

Six Legends of the game will add a welcome perspective to the event –PAT CASH, HENRI LECONTE, MATS WILANDER, MIKAEL PERNFORS, MANSOUR BAHRAMI and JOHNFITZGERALD. Those matches will be played after the main draw fixtures on Thursday (one match), Friday (two matches) and Saturday (2 matches).