****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* Serena to face Azarenka in Brisbane final
* King, Hampton join walkover list
* Li back in Shenzhen final; to face Peng
* Venus to face Ivanovic in Auckland
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Brisbane
Singles – Semifinal: (1) Serena Williams def. (3) Maria Sharapova 6-2 7-6(9-7)
This was a sort of an anti-serving contest; Serena was struggling, and we know about Maria Sharapova’s shoulder problems. Still, Sharapova lasted long enough to earn the #3 ranking.
Singles – Semifinal: (2) Victoria Azarenka def. (4) Jelena Jankovic 1-6 6-3 6-4
And so we get another Azarenka/Serena meeting. It’s a pretty big deal for Azarenka — with the Australian Open soon to come off, her #2 ranking is actually in some danger (although the players next behind her, Li Na and Maria Sharapova, also have big Melbourne points to defend). A win over Serena here would obviously be a big moral boost for Azarenka, although she will be a distant #2 no matter what. She leaves Jelena Jankovic at #8.
Doubles – Semifinal: Mladenovic/Voskoboeva def. Minella/Scheepers 6-3 6-4
Shenzhen
Singles – Semifinal: (1) Na Li def. (8) Annika Beck 6-1 6-3
Li Na will fall to #4 this week, but the better she does here, the higher her ranking is likely to be after her Australian Open final comes off, so this is promising. She leaves Annika Beck probably #54.
Singles – Semifinal: (5) Shuai Peng def. Vania King walkover
Here we go again…. Just what Vania King didn’t need. But it puts Peng Shuai back in the Top Forty, and guarantees us a Chinese champion here.
Doubles – Semifinal: Kichenok/Kichenok def. Konta/Mayr-Achleitner 6-2 6-3
A big week for the Kichenoks: They both made the singles main draw, and here they are in the doubles final!
Auckland
Singles – Semifinal: Venus Williams def. (5) Jamie Hampton walkover
That makes it four walkovers this week (plus more in Hopman Cup), plus retirements. An awful week. And it means that Jamie Hampton will fall from #28 to #29. Still, that earns her an Australian Open seed. And Venus Williams hits the Top Forty. Could we actually have two Williamses win a title tomorrow?
Singles – Semifinal: (2) Ana Ivanovic def. (3) Kirsten Flipkens 6-0 7-6(7-3)
Were the old points table still in effect, this would have taken Ana Ivanovic to #15. As it is, she is still #16, and needs to win the title to hit the Top Fifteen. She leaves Kirsten Flipkens still at #20.
Doubles – Semifinal: (3) Hradecka/Krajicek def. Pliskova/Pliskova 6-3 6-1
Hopman Cup
The final round robin competitions were pretty dull. France cruised into the final by sweeping moribund Spain: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga topped Daniel Munoz-de la Nava 6-4 6-7 6-2, Alize Cornet trounced Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2 6-2, and the French won the mixed in an 8-3 pro set.
France’s win had rendered the other contest, between the Czechs and the U.S., completely moot (the French were 3-0) — and it was pretty clear no one wanted to play. John Isner withdrew from his match with Radek Stepanek, Sloane Stephens quit after losing the first set 6-3 to Petra Kvitova, and the Americans pulled out of the Mixed. There must be some pretty unhappy ticket holders.
The final will pit France against Poland, with the French the clear favorites, since they have a full and healthy team. So far, at least.
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
Australian Open Seed Update
Not much new to report; effectively everything that mattered was already settled.
Serena Williams will be the #1 seed in Melbourne, with Victoria Azarenka is safe at #2. We’ve also settled who goes in the #3-#4 block; it will be Maria Sharapova and Li Na. The seeds from #5 to #8 will be Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova, Sara Errani, and Jelena Jankovic. #9-#12 will be Angelique Kerber, Caroline Wozniacki, Simona Halep, and Roberta Vinci.
With Marion Bartoli out, #13-#16 will go, in some order, to Sabine Lisicki, Sloane Stephens, Ana Ivanovic, and Carla Suarez Navarro.
Maria Kirilenko reportedly won’t play either, so our likely #17-#24 are Samantha Stosur, Kirsten Flipkens, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Sorana Cirstea, Dominika Cibulkova, Ekaterina Makarova, Elena Vesnina, and Kaia Kanepi.
The remaining seeds will be Alize Cornet, Lucie Safarova, Flavia Pennetta, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Jamie Hampton, Eugenie Bouchard, Daniela Hantuchova, and Magdalena Rybarikova.
Our alternates are Mona Barthel and Bojana Jovanovski. Right now, Madison Keys is next, but Venus Williams could overtake her with a title.
KEYWORDS: Australian Open Seeds Women
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Brisbane (Premier 700/Hard). Defending Champion: Serena Williams
Shenzhen (International/Hard). Defending Champion: Li Na
Auckland (International/Hard). Defending Champion: Agnieszka Radwanska
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Sydney (Premier 700/Hard). Defending Champion: Agnieszka Radwanska
Hobart (International/Hard). Defending Champion: Elena Vesnina
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
Rankings
Estimated WTA Rankings As of January 2, 2014
Rank &
Prior
Rank …Name …………. Points
1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 13095*
2..(2) AZARENKA ………..8151*
3..(4) SHARAPOVA ……… 6076
4..(3) LI ……………..5945*
5..(5) ARadwanska ………5820
6..(6) Kvitova ……….. 4775
7..(7) ERRANI ………….4435
8..(8) JANKOVIC ………..4230
9..(9) KERBER ………….3965
10.(10) Wozniacki ……… 3520
11.(11) Halep …………. 3335
12.(14) VINCI …………. 3170
13.(12) Stephens ………..3135
14.(13) Bartoli ……….. 3103
15.(15) LISICKI ……….. 2920
16.(16) IVANOVIC ………..2910*
17.(17) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2735
18.(18) Stosur ………….2675
19.(19) Kirilenko ……… 2640
20.(20) FLIPKENS ………..2535
21.(21) Kuznetsova ………2341
22.(23) CIBULKOVA ……… 2175
23.(22) CIRSTEA ……….. 2170
24.(24) Makarova ………..2066
25.(25) Vesnina ……….. 1995
26.(30) KANEPI ………….1868
27.(27) Cornet ………….1840
28.(29) SAFAROVA ………..1775
29.(28) HAMPTON ……….. 1761
30.(31) Pennetta ………..1735
Draws
Brisbane (Premier)
………………QF…………..SF………..F
1 S Williams……(1)S.Williams…Williams…..Williams
9 Cibulkova…….(9)Cibulkova
3 Sharapova…….(3)Sharapova….Sharapova
8 Suarez Navarro..Kanepi
5 Kerber……….(5)Kerber
4 Jankovic……..(4)Jankovic…..Jankovic
7 Lisicki………Voegele
2 Azarenka……..(2)Azarenka…..Azarenka…..Azarenka
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 S Williams
2 Azarenka
3 Sharapova……..lost SF (S. Williams)
4 Jankovic………lost SF (Azarenka)
5 Kerber………..lost QF (Jankovic)
6 Wozniacki……..WITHDREW
7 Lisicki……….WITHDREW from 2R
8 Suarez Navarro…lost 2R (Kanepi)
9 Cibulkova……..lost QF (S. Williams)
Shenzhen (International)
……………..QF……………..SF…….F
1 Li………….(1)Li…………..Li…….Li
6 Zhang……….Niculescu
3 Zakopalova…..Mayr-Achleitner
8 Beck………..(8)Beck…………Beck
5 Peng………..(5)Peng…………Peng…..Peng
4 Jovanovski…..Cepelova
7 J Zheng……..Zahlavova Strycova
2 Errani………King……………King
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 Li
2 Errani……..lost 2R (King)
3 Zakopalova….lost 2R (Mayr-Achleitner)
4 Jovanovski….lost 1R (Friedsam)
5 Peng
6 Zhang………lost 1R (Y Chan)
7 J Zheng…….lost 2R (Zahlavova Strycova)
8 Beck……….lost SF (Li)
Auckland (International)
………….QF………….SF……….F
1 Vinci……Davis
5 Hampton….(5)Hampton…..Hampton
4 Cirstea….Muguruza
7 Barthel….V.Williams…..V.Williams..V.Williams
8 Knapp……Ishizu(Q)
3 Flipkens…(3)Flipkens….Flipkens
6 Safarova…Nara
2 Ivanovic…(2)Ivanovic….Ivanovic….Ivanovic
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 Vinci…….lost 1R (Konjuh)
2 Ivanovic
3 Flipkens….lost SF (Ivanovic)
4 Cirstea…..lost 1R (Fichman)
5 Hampton…..WITHDREW from SF
6 Safarova….lost 1R (Morita)
7 Barthel…..lost 1R (Meusburger)
8 Knapp…….lost 1R (Goerges)
******** SCORES ********
FRIDAY
Brisbane
Singles – Semifinal
(1) Serena Williams def. (3) Maria Sharapova 6-2 7-6(9-7)
(2) Victoria Azarenka def. (4) Jelena Jankovic 1-6 6-3 6-4
Doubles – Semifinal
Mladenovic/Voskoboeva def. Minella/Scheepers 6-3 6-4
Shenzhen
Singles – Semifinal
(1) Na Li def. (8) Annika Beck 6-1 6-3
(5) Shuai Peng def. Vania King walkover
Doubles – Semifinal
Kichenok/Kichenok def. Konta/Mayr-Achleitner 6-2 6-3
Auckland
Singles – Semifinal
Venus Williams def. (5) Jamie Hampton walkover
(2) Ana Ivanovic def. (3) Kirsten Flipkens 6-0 7-6(7-3)
Doubles – Semifinal
(3) Hradecka/Krajicek def. Pliskova/Pliskova 6-3 6-1
Topics: 10sballs, Agnieszka Radwanska, Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic, Kirsten Flipkens, Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Roberta Vinci, Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Wta