Women’s Look Forward: Dubai, Memphis, Bogota

Written by: Staff on 17th February 2013

Women's Look Forward: Dubai, Memphis, Bogota

epa03587424 Serena Willams of the USA serves against Maria Sharapova of Russia during their semi final match of the WTA Qatar Ladies Open tennis tournament at the International Khalifa Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, 16 February 2013. EPA/STRINGER |

It would seem that no one, but no one, wanted to miss Dubai. At least among players already in the area for Doha. The event is so strong that we had several Top Thirty players — Tamira Paszek, Carla Suarez Navarro — in the qualifying. The qualifying seeds were all Top Fifty; the other six were Elena Vesnina, Urszula Radwanska, Tsvetana Pironkova, Christia McHale, Zheng Jie, and Simona Halep.

Pretty stunning for what is, after all, the lowest level of Premier event (although the money is larger than for a standard Premier 700). It has eight of the Top Ten — everyone but Maria Sharapova and Li Na. Victoria Azarenka has fallen to #2, but she is the #1 seed. New #1 Serena Williams is seeded #2. In the absence of Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska is #3 (and in Serena’s half). The #4 seed, and last bye, goes to Angelique Kerber. Sara Errani is #5 and in Azarenka’s quarter (for the second straight week). Petra Kvitova is #6 and in Radwanska’s quarter. Samantha Stosur is #7 and in Kerber’s quarter. And Caroline Wozniacki is #8 and would face Serena in the quarterfinal.

With a field where almost everyone is Top Thirty, naturally the seeds could have a tough time. Azarenka will open against either Dominika Cibulkova (assuming she is over her injury) or Nadia Petrova. Errani starts against Julia Goerges, then Sloane Stephens or Sorana Cirstea. Kerber will open against Roberta Vinci or a qualifier (and, remember, the qualifiers here are tough). Stosur will face Ekaterina Makarova, then Varvara Lepchenko or Hsieh Su-Wei. Kvitova opens against a qualifier then Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Ana Ivanovic. Radwanska is lucky; she has a bye, then a wildcard. But Wozniacki will face Lucie Safarova, then a qualifier. And Serena will open against either Marion Bartoli or Klara Zakopalova.

That field doesn’t leave much for the week’s other events. Indeed, Memphis is actually weaker than the Dubai qualifying. The top seed at Memphis is Kirsten Flipkens, who was #34 last week. That would have made her only the #4 seed in Dubai qualifying. Sofia Arvidsson — who loves this event and is the defending champion — is #2. Sabine Lisicki is #3 and in the Flipkens half; Heather Watson is #4. They are the only Top Fifty players in the draw. Rounding out the seeds are #5 Lucie Hradecka, #6 Chanelle Scheepers, #7 Magdalena Rybarikova, and #8 Kristina Mladenovic. Obviously there aren’t many unseeded threats, although Flipkens has to open against long-slumping Shahar Peer and Scheepers might face fast-improving Jamie Hampton in the second round.

The week’s third event, Bogota, is historically very weak. And, indeed, this year’s edition features only three Top Fifty players; the cutoff for seeding was around #80. And yet — there are some fairly big names here, evidently hoping the clay will revive them. The big surprise came with the news that Jelena Jankovic is the #1 seed. She is perhaps the biggest name we can recall playing this event. Seeded #2 is Alize Cornet. Lourdes Dominguez Lino is #3. Then it really gets interesting, because Francesca Schiavone will try to revive her game as the #4 seed. And Flavia Pennetta makes her long-delayed return to action as the #5. Rounding out the seeds are #6 Arantxa Rus, #7 Pauline Parmentier, and #8 Timea Babos. This really should be a chance for Jankovic and Schiavone and Pennetta; the rest of the field isn’t in their league. At least, their old league.

Topics: Bogota tennis news, Carla Suarez Navarro, Christia McHale, Dubai tennis news, Elena Vesnina, Maria Sharapova, Memphis tennis news, Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Sports, Tamira Paszek, Tsvetana Pironkova, Urszula Radwanska, Victoria Azarenka, Wta, Zheng Jie