Australian Open
Mixed Doubles – Final: Kristina Mladenovic/Daniel Nestor def. (6) Sania Mirza/Horia Tecau 6-3 6-2
Forget the seedings. Kristina Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor are the #1 mixed doubles team in the world, and the Mixed rankings backed that up. They have reached at least the semifinal of four straight Slams, and came here as the top team in the Mixed rankings. And, now, they have won two of the last three (Wimbledon and Australian Open). We hope it won’t surprise you too much to learn that they now top the Mixed rankings; the Women’s Top Ten looks like this:
1….Mladenovic…….3150
2….Mirza…………2183
3….Hradecka………2167
4….Raymond……….2000
5….Huber…………1783
6….Vesnina……….1700
7….Srebotnik……..1633
8….Peschke……….1583
9….Gajdosova……..1433
10….Hlavackova…….1383
For the men, the standings are
1….Nestor………..3467
2….Soares………..2567
3….Cermak………..2167
4….Paes………….1883
5….Matkowski……..1500
6….Tecau…………1433
7….Zimonjic………1383
8….Bhupathi………1367
9….GonzalezS……..1317
9….Mirnyi………..1317
Nestor has now won the Australian Mixed three times (the other two were in 2007 with Likhovtseva and in 2011 with Srebotnik), and it has him talking about winning the Grand Slam this year. At the rate he’s going, it looks possible.
Kristina Mladenovic, at twenty, is less than half Nestor’s age. It will be interesting to see how many Slams she can win if she lasts as long as he does….
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
Women’s Look Forward: Paris, Pattaya City
Paris is a Premier event, but it suffers from the fact that it’s a week after, half a world away from, and on a different surface than, the Australian Open. But it certainly has one interesting player: Nadia Petrova, who has been out for so many months, has decided to make a comeback — in the qualifying!
Maybe she didn’t want to face the main draw, which is surprisingly strong given the event’s position in the calendar — five of the new Top Ten! It doesn’t have any of the Top Four, but still, Maria Sharapova is the #1 seed. Petra Kvitova took a wildcard to earn the #2 spot, with Sara Errani #3 and Angelique Kerber #4.
Interestingly, the draw is a throwback — a 28-draw, with the top four seeds having byes, rather than just the top two as is usual at Premier 700s these days.
There is no bye for #5 seed Simona Halep, but she is our fifth Top Ten player. Roberta Vinci — who like Errani will have to hurry in from winning the Australian Open doubles — is #6, Carla Suarez Navarro is #7, and Kirsten Flipkens #8, meaning that we have eight of the Top Twenty.
Quite a few of them could be challenged, too. Sharapova might well open against Daniela Hantuchova (and won’t the photographers love that). Flipkens starts against defending champion Mona Barthel. Kerber may open against Klara Zakopalova. Suarez Navarro’s second round is against either Francesca Schiavone or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Vinci has to start against fast-improving Elina Svitolina; Errani is likely to face her countrywoman Karin Knapp (and then Errani and Vinci would face each other in the quarterfinal, which they don’t much like). Halep’s second round is against Andrea Petkovic or Bojana Jovanovski. And Kvitova has to open against Alize Cornet or Magdalena Rybarikova.
Pattaya City is only an International event, but it has an impressive list of recent champions — Maria Kirilenko, Daniela Hantuchova, Vera Zvonareva. On the other hand, it’s held in a country that is in the midst of intense political turmoil. And the event does appear weaker this year — no Top Ten players, and the only Top Twenty player, based on the new rankings, is #1 seed Sabine Lisicki. Svetlana Kuznetsova, whose ranking just took a hit, took a wildcard to earn the #2 seed. Sorana Cirstea is #3, Ekaterina Makarova #4, Elena Vesnina #5 (and Makarova/Vesnina are also the top doubles seeds). Garbine Muguruza’s recent hot results earned her the #6 seed, with Bethanie Mattek-Sands #7 and Peng Shuai #8. There are some interesting unseeded players — notably Vera Zvonareva, who took a wildcard. And, this time, she was lucky enough to draw a wildcard as a first round opponent, so she might survive to face Makarova in the second round. Lisicki opens against young but promising Donna Vekic. Muguruza will fight a battle of the generations against Kimiko Date-Krumm. Cirstea could face Alison Riske in round two. And Kuznetsova’s course runs through Zhang Shuai, who had such a great Asian season last year, then Julia Goerges or Luksika Kumkhum, the player who beat Petra Kvitova in Melbourne.
The Rankings
Paris is rather stronger this year than last, when it had only three Top Ten players. But the real surprise last year was the players who did well. Mona Barthel was the champion, Sara Errani the finalist (not at all what was expected at an indoor event), and Kristina Mladenovic and Kiki Bertens were the semifinalists. Bertens isn’t in the draw this year (she was a Lucky Loser last year, and she fell in the first round of qualifying this year), and Mladenovic is in on a wildcard; they could all fall hard, with Barthel in danger of ending up around #65.
The title at Pattaya City went to Maria Kirilenko, over Sabine Lisicki, with Nina Bratchikova and Sorana Cirstea semifinalists. Bratchikova has vanished so completely that we don’t even know where she is ranked any more. Kirilenko, who still isn’t back, can forget about her Top Twenty ranking.
There probably won’t be much movement in the Top Ten. A Paris title might take Sharapova back to #4, ahead of Agnieszka Radwanska. Errani could lose some ground, but it appears she will stay just ahead of Jelena Jankovic. Kerber might catch Jankovic, but only with a title. Halep has too much in her sixteenth event to move at this time, but at least her #10 ranking is safe.
We would also note that Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci won the Paris doubles last year, meaning that their margin at #1 could get a little thinner although they ought to keep the top spots; Hsieh/Peng are not in action.
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Paris (Premier 700/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Mona Barthel
Pattaya City (International/Hard). Defending Champion: Maria Kirilenko
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Fed Cup
——–Rankings
Estimated WTA Rankings As of January 26, 2014
Rank &
Prior
Rank …Name …………. Points
1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 13000
2..(2) AZARENKA ………..6581
3..(4) LI ……………..6570*
4..(5) ARADWANSKA ………5750
5..(3) SHARAPOVA ……… 5416
6..(6) KVITOVA ……….. 4745
7..(7) ERRANI ………….4440
8..(8) JANKOVIC ………..4310
9..(9) KERBER ………….4030
10.(11) HALEP …………. 3760
11.(10) WOZNIACKI ……… 3370
12.(14) IVANOVIC ………..3160
13.(24) CIBULKOVA ……… 3056
14.(12) VINCI …………. 3020
15.(15) LISICKI ……….. 2980
16.(16) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2745
17.(17) STOSUR ………….2705
18.(13) STEPHENS ………..2415
19.(31) BOUCHARD ………..2369
20.(18) Kirilenko ……… 2325
21.(19) FLIPKENS ………..2255
22.(29) PENNETTA ………..2165
23.(21) CIRSTEA ……….. 2020
24.(23) KANEPI ………….1932
25.(25) CORNET ………….1870
26.(30) PAVLYUCHENKOVA …..1840
27.(26) SAFAROVA ………..1805
28.(22) MAKAROVA ………..1801
29.(20) KUZNETSOVA ………1712
30.(27) Hampton ……….. 1601
Draws
Australian Open (Slam — Weeks of January 13-26)
WINNER: Li Na
………………..3R……………….4R………QF…………SF………F
1 S Williams……..(1)S.Williams……..Williams
31 Hantuchova…….(31)Hantuchova
17 Stosur………..(17)Stosur
14 Ivanovic………(14)Ivanovic………Ivanovic…Ivanovic
12 Vinci…………Zheng
18 Flipkens………Dellacqua…………Dellacqua
30 Bouchard………(30)Bouchard………Bouchard…Bouchard…..Bouchard
7 Errani…………Davis
4 Li…………….(4)Li…………….Li………Li………..Li………Li
26 Safarova………(26)Safarova
22 Makarova………(22)Makarova………Makarova
15 Lisicki……….Niculescu
9 Kerber…………(9)Kerber…………Kerber
23 Vesnina……….Riske
28 Pennetta………(28)Pennetta………Pennetta…Pennetta
6 Kvitova………..Barthel
8 Jankovic……….(8)Jankovic……….Jankovic
32 Rybarikova…….Nara
21 Cirstea……….Diyas(Q)
11 Halep…………(11)Halep…………Halep……Halep
16 Suarez Navarro…(16)Suarez Navarro
20 Cibulkova……..(20)Cibulkova……..Cibulkova..Cibulkova….Cibulkova..Cibulkova
25 Cornet………..(25)Cornet
3 Sharapova………(3)Sharapova………Sharapova
5 A Radwanska…….(5)A.Radwanska…….Radwanska..Radwanska….Radwanska
29 Pavlyuchenkova…(29)Pavlyuchenkova
24 Kanepi………..Muguruza………….Muguruza
10 Wozniacki……..(10)Wozniacki
13 Stephens………(13)Stephens………Stephens
19 Kuznetsova…….Svitolina
33 Jovanovski…….Meusburger
2 Azarenka……….(2)Azarenka……….Azarenka…Azarenka
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 S Williams………lost 4R (Ivanovic)
2 Azarenka………..lost QF (A. Radwanska)
3 Sharapova……….lost 4R (Cibulkova)
4 Li……………..WON TOURNAMENT
5 A Radwanska……..lost SF (Cibulkova)
6 Kvitova…………lost 1R (Kumkhum)
7 Errani………….lost 1R (Goerges)
8 Jankovic………..lost 4R (Halep)
9 Kerber………….lost 4R (Pennetta)
10 Wozniacki………lost 3R (Muguruza)
11 Halep………….lost QF (Cibulkova)
12 Vinci………….lost 1R (Zheng)
13 Stephens……….lost 4R (Azarenka)
14 Ivanovic……….lost QF (Bouchard)
15 Lisicki………..lost 2R (Niculesu)
16 Suarez Navarro….lost 3R (Cibulkova)
17 Stosur…………lost 3R (Ivanovic)
18 Flipkens……….lost 2R (Dellacqua)
19 Kuznetsova……..lost 1R (Svitolina)
20 Cibulkova………lost F (Li)
21 Cirstea………..lost 1R (Erakovic)
22 Makarova……….lost 4R (Li)
23 Vesnina………..lost 1R (Riske)
24 Kanepi…………lost 1R (Muguruza)
25 Cornet…………lost 3R (Sharapova)
26 Safarova……….lost 3R (Li)
27 Hampton………..WITHDREW
28 Pennetta……….lost QF (Li)
29 Pavlyuchenkova….lost 3R (A. Radwanska)
30 Bouchard……….lost SF (Li)
31 Hantuchova……..lost 4R (S. Williams)
32 Rybarikova……..lost 2R (Nara)
33 Jovanovski……..lost 2R (Meusburger)
Paris (Premier — Weeks of January 27-February 2)
1 Sharapova
–bye
Erakovic
Hantuchova
Meusburger
Qualifier
Barthel
8 Flipkens
4 Kerber
–bye
Zakopalova
Garcia (WC)
Pavlyuchenkova
Schiavone
Qualifier
7 Suarez Navarro
6 Vinci
Svitolina
Voegele
Qualifier
Knapp
Qualifier
–bye
3 Errani
5 Halep
Mladenovic (WC)
Petkovic
Jovanovski
Rybarikova
Cornet
–bye
2 Kvitova (WC)
Pattaya City (International — Weeks of January 27-February 2)
1 Lisicki
Vekic
Hlavackova
Cabeza Candela
Qualifier
Putintseva
Mayr-Achleitner
8 Peng
4 Makarova
Qualifier
Zvonareva (WC)
Plipuech (WC)
Hsieh
Majeric
Date-Krumm
6 Muguruza
7 Mattek-Sands
Ka. Pliksova
Tomljanovic
Qualifier
Medina Garrigues
Riske
Schmiedlova
3 Cirstea
5 Vesnina
King
Qualifier
Lertpitaksinchai (WC)
Kumkhum
Goerges
Zhang
2 Kuznetsova (WC)
******** SCORES **
SUNDAY
Australian Open
Mixed Doubles – Final
Kristina Mladenovic/Daniel Nestor def. (6) Sania Mirza/Horia Tecau 6-3 6-2
_________
PTT PATTAYA OPEN
Pattaya City, Thailand
January 27-February 2, 2014
$250,000/International
Hard/Outdoors
Order Of Play – Monday, January 27, 2014
Court 1 (from 15.00hrs)
1. Belinda Bencic vs. Alla Kudryavtseva (Singles Q Final)
2. Sabine Lisicki vs. Donna Vekic
3. Zhang Shuai vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova
4. Bethanie Mattek-Sands vs. Karolina Pliskova
Court 2 (from 15.00hrs)
1. Aleksandra Krunic vs. Duan Ying-Ying (Singles Q Final)
2. Patricia Mayr-Achleitner vs. Peng Shuai
3. Anabel Medina Garrigues vs. Alison Riske
4. Makarova/Vesnina vs. Lertcheewakarn/Zvonareva
Court 3 (from 15.00hrs)
1. Olga Savchuk vs. Sachie Ishizu (Singles Q Final)
2. Anastasia Rodionova vs. Alexandra Dulgheru (Singles Q Final)
3. Andrea Hlavackova vs. Estrella Cabeza Candela
4. Date-Krumm/Tomljanovic vs. Hsieh/Hsieh
Topics: 10sballs, Angelique Kerber, Australian Open, Kirsten Flipkens, Maria Sharapova, Nadia Petrova, Petra Kvitova, Roberta Vinci, Simona Halep, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News