****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* No Top Ten spot for Halep after loss to Keys
* Errani tops doubles partner Vinci
* Stephens, Hampton withdraw from Sydney, Venus pulls out of Hobart
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Sydney
The injury plague that so troubled the first week of the year took little time to show up in Sydney. The very first match of the qualifying final ended after only five games, with #9 seed Julia Goerges retiring down 3-2 to #1 seed Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
The other qualifying matches all went to completion, but they did produce some surprises. Victoria Duval upset #2 seed Varvara Lepchenko 7-5 7-5, and unseeded Tsvetana Pironkova edged #11 Shahar Peer 6-3 in the third. The other three qualifying matches followed form, with #4 Paula Ormaechea, #5 Christina McHale, and #8 Lauren Davis reaching the main draw.
Lepchenko and Goerges still make the main draw as Lucky Losers; the withdrawal plague is continuing too. #8 seed Sloane Stephens is out, as is Jamie Hampton. Stephens pulled out late enough that there was no promotion of seeds; Lepchenko is our de facto #8 seed.
Singles – First Round: (3) Sara Errani def. Roberta Vinci 6-4 6-2
After a bad loss at Shenzhen last week, Sara Errani doubtless needed this, but it means that Roberta Vinci once again fails to make progress toward the Top Ten.
Singles – First Round: Madison Keys def. (7) Simona Halep 6-1 6-4
Not the way Simona Halep wanted to start her 2014! She had a genuine shot at the Top Ten this week, but this means that Caroline Wozniacki will be able to retain the #10 ranking.
Singles – First Round: Ajla Tomljanovic def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 7-5
We don’t have the new rankings yet, but this appears to mean no Top Thirty spot for Daniela Hantuchova.
Doubles – First Round: (4) Kops-Jones/Spears def. Kuznetsova/Makarova 6-2 7-5
Good to see Ekaterina Makarova back, but this isn’t a very good return to action. Maybe she needs to have Elena Vesnina around to win in doubles.
Hobart
Sydney wasn’t the only place hit with withdrawals on Sunday. Hobart didn’t lose any seeds — but, in an outcome that probably won’t surprise anyone, it did lose Venus Williams. Venus pulled out after losing her final on Saturday, replaced by Lucky Loser Silvia Soler-Espinosa. Soler-Espinosa had lost her qualifying final 6-4 in the third to unseeded Estrella Cabeza Candela.
It was a pretty obscure set of qualifiers, with only one of the original eight seeds making the main draw. That was #2 Garbine Muguruza, who lost only one game against wildcard Naiktha Bains. The other qualifiers are #9 Alison van Uytvanck, who beat countrywoman An-Sophie Mestach, and Madison Brengle, who beat countrywoman Sachia Vickery.
Singles – First Round: (6) Mona Barthel def. Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-3
Mona Barthel really does love this place, having won this event in 2012 and made the final last year. Which obviously means that she still has some defending to do…. She leaves Elina Svitolina still below #40.
Doubles – First Round: (3) Buryachok/Kalashnikova def. Grandin/Riske 4-6 6-4 10-4
As you can probably tell, this is a very weak doubles draw. We may see some surprise team make a very big rankings movement.
Doubles – First Round: (4) Y Chan/Husarova def. Shapatava/Vasylyeva 6-4 6-1
Doubles – First Round: Dominguez Lino/Duque-Marino def. Cadantu/Klemenschits 7-6(8-6) 6-4
Doubles – First Round: Naydenova/Pereira def. C Chan/Y Xu 6-7(6-8) 6-2 10-8
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
KEYWORDS: No Feature Today
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Sydney (Premier 700/Hard). Defending Champion: Agnieszka Radwanska
Hobart (International/Hard). Defending Champion: Elena Vesnina
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Australian Open (Slam/Hard). Defending Champion: Victoria Azarenka
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
Rankings
Estimated WTA Rankings As of January 4, 2014
Rank &
Prior
Rank …Name …………. Points
1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 13260*
2..(2) AZARENKA ………..8151
3..(4) SHARAPOVA ……… 6076
4..(3) LI ……………..6045*
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.(16) IVANOVIC ………..3010*
16.(15) LISICKI ……….. 2920
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
Sydney (Premier)
1 A. Radwanska
7 Halep
4 Jankovic
5 Kerber
[Lepchenko]
3 Errani
6 Wozniacki
2 Kvitova
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 A. Radwanska
2 Kvitova
3 Errani
4 Jankovic
5 Kerber
6 Wozniacki
7 Halep……….lost 1R (Keys)
8 Stephens…….WITHDREW
Hobart (International)
1 Stosur
8 Jovanovski
4 Pavlyuchenkova
7 Zakopalova
6 Barthel
3 Vesnina
5 Pennetta
2 Flipkens
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Stosur
2 Flipkens
3 Vesnina
4 Pavlyuchenkova
5 Pennetta
6 Barthel
7 Zakopalova
8 Jovanovski
******** SCORES ********
SUNDAY
Sydney
Singles – Qualifying – Third Round
(1) Bethanie Mattek-Sands def. (9) Julia Goerges 3-2, retired
Victoria Duval def. (2) Varvara Lepchenko 7-5 7-5
(4) Paula Ormaechea def. Anna Schmiedlova 7-6.(2) 6-1
(5) Christina McHale def. (12) Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3 6-4
(8) Lauren Davis def. Chanelle Scheepers 7-6.(6) 6-3
Tsvetana Pironkova def. (11) Shahar Peer 6-3 6-7(4-7) 6-3
Singles – First Round
(3) Sara Errani def. Roberta Vinci 6-4 6-2
Madison Keys def. (7) Simona Halep 6-1 6-4
Ajla Tomljanovic def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 7-5
Doubles – First Round
(4) Kops-Jones/Spears def. Kuznetsova/Makarova 6-2 7-5
Hobart
Singles – Qualifying – Final Round
(2) Garbine Muguruza def. Naiktha Bains 6-1 6-0
(9) Alison Van Uytvanck def. An-Sophie Mestach 6-4 6-2
Madison Brengle def. Sachia Vickery 6-4 6-3
Estrella Cabeza Candela def. (4) Silvia Soler-Espinosa 4-6 7-5 6-4
Singles – First Round
(6) Mona Barthel def. Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-3
Doubles – First Round
(3) Buryachok/Kalashnikova def. Grandin/Riske 4-6 6-4 10-4
(4) Y Chan/Husarova def. Shapatava/Vasylyeva 6-4 6-1
Dominguez Lino/Duque-Marino def. Cadantu/Klemenschits 7-6(8-6) 6-4
Naydenova/Pereira def. C Chan/Y Xu 6-7(6-8) 6-2 10-8
Topics: 10sballs, Atp, BETHANIE Mattek-Sands, Daniela Hantuchova, Eugenie Bouchard, Hobart, Julia Goerges, Martina Hingis, Roberta Vinci, Sara Errani, Silvia Soler Espinosa, Simona Halep, Sloane Stephens, Sports, Sydney, Tennis, Tennis News, Venus Williams, Victoria Duval, Wta