Federer and Williams To Lead All-Star Line-Up In Brisbane

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 21st November 2013

Federer and Williams To Lead All-Star Line-Up In Brisbane

epa03531647 Tennis players (L-R) French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga,Serbia's Novak Djokovic (partly hidden), Swiss Roger Federer, Serena Williams of the US, and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia during the Kids Tennis Day activities in the Rod Laver Arena, a traditional pre-tournament event of the Australian Open 2013, Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2013. EPA/DENNIS SABANGAN |

Six of the world’s top 10 women and four of the top 20 men – including tennis superstar Roger Federer – will headline Brisbane International 2014 presented by Suncorp.

World No. 1 and Brisbane International defending champion Serena Williams will lead one of the strongest women’s fields ever assembled for the event, which has firmly established itself as the tournament of choice for the world’s best female tennis players ahead of the first Grand Slam event of the year.

Williams will be joined by world No. 2 Victoria Azarenka, Russian powerhouse Maria Sharapova and fellow top 10 players Jelena Jankovic, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki in what promises to be a hotly contested women’s draw.

Azarenka, who claimed her maiden WTA title at the first ever edition of the Brisbane International in 2009, will return to the event in preparation for her tilt at a third straight Australian Open crown.

Tennis stalwart Kimiko Date-Krumm will add a wealth of experience to the draw, the 43-year-old fan favorite set to make her Brisbane International debut in 2014.

Seventeen-time Grand Slam event champion Roger Federer will lead an equally strong men’s field, which features top 20 players Kei Nishikori, Gilles Simon and Kevin Anderson alongside a raft of rising talent.

Brisbane International 2013 runner-up Grigor Dimitrov returns to the Sunshine State looking to go one better in 2014, but will be forced to overcome a world class field including local hopes Lleyton Hewitt (SA), Marinko Matosevic (Vic) and 18-year-old wildcard Nick Kyrgios (ACT) in his pursuit of the title.

Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said the 2014 field was one of the strongest in the event’s history.

“The calibre of the field assembled for Brisbane International 2014 is one of the greatest on record, and we’re certainly looking forward to welcoming the world’s top players to Queensland Tennis Centre in December,” he said.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said she looked forward to seeing the world’s top tennis players step onto Pat Rafter Arena in December for one of Queensland’s most highly anticipated sporting events.

“The Queensland Government is proud to support Brisbane International 2014 as part of its goal to double the annual overnight visitor expenditure from $15 billion to $30 billion by 2020.”

The official fields for Brisbane International 2014 are as follows:

Men

Player – World ranking

Roger Federer (SUI) – 6

Kei Nishikori (JPN) – 17

Gilles Simon (FRA) – 19

Kevin Anderson (RSA) – 20

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) – 23

Jurgen Melzer (AUT) – 27

Feliciano Lopez (ESP) – 28

Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) – 29

Jeremy Chardy (FRA) – 34

Julien Benneteau (FRA) – 35

Marin Cilic (CRO) – 37

Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) – 39

Robin Haase (NED) – 43

Denis Istomin (UZB) – 45

Sam Querrey (USA) – 46

Nicolas Mahut (FRA) – 50

Adrian Mannarino (FRA) – 60

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) – 61

Marinko Matosevic (AUS) – 62

Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) – 67

Igor Sijsling (NED) – 69

Nick Kyrgios (AUS) – 186 [WC]

WC – wildcard

Women

Player – World ranking

Serena Williams (USA) – 1

Victoria Azarenka (BLR) – 2

Maria Sharapova (RUS) – 4

Jelena Jankovic (SRB) – 8

Angelique Kerber (GER) – 9

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) – 10

Sabine Lisicki (GER) – 15

Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) – 17

Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) – 23

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) – 26

Kaia Kanepi (EST) – 30

Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) – 33

Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) – 37

Madison Keys (USA) – 38

Francesca Schiavone (ITA) – 39

Stefanie Voegele (SUI) – 42

Andrea Petkovic (GER) – 44

Elina Svitolina (UKR) – 46

Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) – 49

Varvara Lepchenko (USA) – 54

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) – 56

Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) – 61

* All rankings as at 21 November 2013

Brisbane International 2014, presented by Suncorp and supported by Tourism and Events Queensland, will take place at Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane from 29 December 2013 to 5 January 2014.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Angelique Kerber, Brisbane, Caroline Wozniacki, Gilles Simon, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Jelena Jankovic, Kei Nishikori, Kevin Anderson, Kimiko Date-Krumm, Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Tennis, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta