[diundasmink]

Tournament: ASB Classic
Dates: January 3 - 8, 2012
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Tier: International
Prize Money: $220,000
Surface: Hard/Outdoors
Tournament Director: Richard Palmer

Sabine Lisicki, (Germany,15)
Peng Shuai (China, 17)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia, 19)
Flavia Pennetta (Italy, 20)
Julia Georges (Germany, 21)
Roberta Vinci (Italy, 23)
Janina Wickmayer (Belgium, 26)
Monica Niculescu (Romania, 30)
Petra Cetkovska (Czech Rep, 31)
Angelique Kerber (Germany, 32)
Christina McHale (USA, 43)
Sara Errani (Italy, 45)
Ayumi Morita (Japan, 47)
Zheng Jie (China, 48)
Elena Baltacha (GB, 50)
Lucie Hradecka (Czech Rep, 51)
Elena Vesnina (Russia, 57)
Johanna Larsson (Sweden, 59)
Sorana Cirstea (Romania, 60)
Marina Erakovic (NZ, 61)
Greta Arn (Hungary, 63)
Rebecca Marino (Canada, 64)
Jelena Dokic (Australia, 66)
Mona Barthel (German, 67)

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Qualifying Field:

66 Dulgheru, Alexandra (ROU)
71 Brianti, Alberta (ITA)
72 Rybarikova, Magdalena (SVK)
73 Keothavong, Anne (GBR)
74 Parmentier, Pauline B (FRA)
77 Johansson, Mathilde C (FRA)
78 Arvidsson, Sofia (SWE)
82 Oprandi, Romina S (ITA)
83 Razzano, Virginie (FRA)
84 Falconi, Irina (USA)
87 Mirza, Sania (IND)
89 Cornet, Alize (FRA)
92 Barrois, Kristina (GER)
93 Watson, Heather (GBR)
98 Bremond, Iryna (FRA)
103 Birnerova, Eva (CZE)
107 Wozniak, Aleksandra (CAN)
115 Rezai, Aravane (FRA)
116 Hlavackova, Andrea (CZE)
122 Vandeweghe, Coco (USA)
124 Kulikova, Regina (RUS)
127 Lepchenko, Varvara (USA)
128 Sema, Erika (JPN)
136 Riske, Alison (USA)
140 Nara, Kurumi (JPN)
142 Hampton, Jamie L (USA)
143 Pliskova, Karolina (CZE)
149 Craybas, Jill (USA)

[mylittlejewelaa]

Facebook link for photos of practise today.

[diundasmink]

Heather Watson isnout of Auckland qualifying due to a sprained ankle.

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Qualifying Draw

(1)Anne Keothavong (GBR) vs WC Emily Fanning (NZL)
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) vs WC Petra Rampre (SLO)
Jamie Hampton (USA) vs Andrea Hlavackova (CZE)
Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) vs (6)Irina Falconi (USA)

(2)Pauline Parmentier (FRA) vs Sharon Fichman (CAN)
Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (THA) vs Aravane Rezai (FRA)
Sania Mirza (IND) vs Coco Vandeweghe (USA)
Dia Evtimova (BUL) vs (5)Romina Oprandi (ITA)

(3)Mathilde Johansson (FRA) vs Regina Kulikova (RUS)
Iryna Bremond (FRA) vs Kristyna Pliskova (CZE)
Erika Sema (JPN) vs Alison Riske (USA)
Kurumi Nara (JPN) vs (8)Kristina Barrois (GER)

(4)Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) vs Eva Birnerova (CZE)
Bibiane Schoofs (NED) vs WC Monica Puig (PUR)
Jill Craybas (USA) vs Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
WC Claire Feuerstein (FRA) v (7)Alize Cornet (FRA)

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Weather permitting, Day One OoP

http://media.asbclassic.co.nz/uploads/op.pdf

[beneitpedro]

Only 1 of the 4 WC in qualies is from the home country of the tournament ...poor New Zealand

[FelixQY]

No wonder they choose not to send a team to a fed cup tie after their number 1 withdrew

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REVISED Order of Play - Qualies

http://media.asbclassic.co.nz/uploads/satq_revised.pdf

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Main Draw

(1)Sabine Lisicki (GER) vs WC Virginie Razzano (FRA)
Mona Barthel (GER) vs Jelena Dokic (AUS)
Marina Erakovic (NZL) vs Angelique Kerber (GER)
Greta Arn (HUN) vs (5)Julia Goerges (GER)

(4)Flavia Pennetta (ITA) vs Sorana Cirstea (ROU)
WC Sacha Jones (NZL) vs Elena Baltacha (GBR)
WC Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) vs Elena Vesnina (RUS)
Rebecca Marino (CAN) vs (6)Roberta Vinci (ITA)

(7)Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) vs Qualifier
Johanna Larsson (SWE) vs Sara Errani (ITA)
Christina McHale (USA) vs Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)
Qualifier vs (3)Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

(8)Monica Niculescu (ROU) vs Qualifier
Jie Zheng (CHN) vs Ayumi Morita (JPN)
Lucie Hradecka (CZE) vs Alberta Brianti (ITA)
Qualifier vs (2)Shuai Peng (CHN)

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Order Of Play - Monday, January 2, 2012

Centre Court (from 10.00hrs)

1. Pauline Parmentier vs. Aravane Rezai (Singles Q)
2. Christina McHale vs. Alexandra Dulgheru (NB 13.00hrs)
3. Flavia Pennetta vs. Sorana Cirstea
4. Sacha Jones vs. Elena Baltacha
5. Erakovic/Marino vs. Mirza/Vesnina
6. Sabine Lisicki vs. Virginie Razzano (NB 19.00hrs)
7. Mona Barthel vs. Jelena Dokic

Court 2 (from 10.00hrs)

1. Regina Kulikova vs. Alison Riske (Singles Q Final)
2. [Parmentier or Rezai] vs. Coco Vandeweghe (Singles Q Final; after suitable rest)
3. Lucie Hradecka vs. Alberta Brianti (NB 13.00hrs)
4. Cornet/Niculescu vs. Bogdan/Dulgheru (after suitable rest)
5. Hlavackova/Hradecka vs. Arvidsson/Larsson

Court 4 (from 10.00hrs)

1. Jamie Hampton vs. Irina Falconi (Singles Q)
2. Monica Puig vs. Karolina Pliskova (Singles Q Final)
3. Anne Keothavong vs. [Hampton or Falconi] (Singles Q Final; after suitable rest)
4. Johanna Larsson vs. Sara Errani (NB 13.00hrs)
5. Cirstea/Jurak vs. Barrois/Groenefeld

[Lunims]

Christina McHale (USA) vs Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)
Qualifier vs (3)Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

I'm watching McHale-Dulgheru on this livestream http://www.livescorehunter.ro/index....pup&Itemid=207 (It's buffering a lot so I may look for a new one)

McHale is a shadow of the player I saw beat Kuznetsova at Indian Wells last year. Maybe she needs pace to work with, or maybe she's just rusty. Actual comment: "Again, that net is a problem for McHale."

When the big scoreboard came up at a changeover a 16 was next to McHale's name. That suggests the tournament actually seeded 16 players in a 32 player tournament and only listed 8 on their official draw. It fits since she would play #3 seed Kuznetsova next. It seems wildly unnecessary.

[papadopul]

Third/Qualifying Round

J. Hampton (6) d (1) A. Keothavong 61 64
A. Riske d R. Kulikova 62 67(3) 62
A. Rezai d C. Vandeweghe 64 64
K. Pliskova (wc) d M. Puig 63 63

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Order Of Play - Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Centre Court (from 13.00hrs)

1. Alison Riske vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova
2. Aravane Rezai vs. Peng Shuai
3. Greta Arn vs. Julia Goerges
4. Hampton/Woehr vs. Birnerova/Brianti
5. Marina Erakovic vs. Angelique Kerber (NB 19.00hrs)
6. Peschke/Srebotnik vs. Dekmeijere/Moulton-Levy

Court 2 (from 13.00hrs)

1. Monica Niculescu vs. Jamie Hampton
2. Zheng Jie vs. Ayumi Morita

Court 4 (from 13.00hrs)

1. Yanina Wickmayer vs. Karolina Pliskova
2. Rebecca Marino vs. Roberta Vinci
3. Magdalena Rybarikova vs. Elena Vesnina
4. Errani/Vinci vs. Lisicki/Peng (after suitable rest)

[Nikkkola]

RESULTS
Singles - First Round
(1) Sabine Lisicki (GER) d. (WC) Virginie Razzano (FRA) 64 64
(4) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 64 76(5)
Christina McHale (USA) d. Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) 62 63
Sara Errani (ITA) d. Johanna Larsson (SWE) 61 61
Elena Baltacha (GBR) d. (WC) Sacha Jones (NZL) 62 46 63
Lucie Hradecka (CZE) d. Alberta Brianti (ITA) 64 36 62
Mona Barthel (GER) d. Jelena Dokic (AUS) 76(5) 61

Doubles - First Round
(2) Mirza/Vesnina (IND/RUS) d. (WC) Erakovic/Marino (NZL/CAN) 64 75
(3) Hlavackova/Hradecka (CZE/CZE) d. Arvidsson/Larsson (SWE/SWE) 61 64
Barrois/Groenefeld (GER/GER) d. Cirstea/Jurak (ROU/CRO) 63 61
Cornet/Niculescu (FRA/ROU) d. Bogdan/Dulgheru (ROU/ROU) 63 64

Singles Qualifying - Final Round
Jamie Hampton (USA) d. (1) Anne Keothavong (GBR) 61 64
Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 64 64
Alison Riske (USA) d. Regina Kulikova (RUS) 62 67(3) 62
Karolina Pliskova (CZE) d. (WC) Monica Puig (PUR) 63 63

[Lunims]

I'm watching a livestream for Kuznetsova v Riske. http://www.livescorehunter.ro/index....pup&Itemid=207

Riske is really being aggressive and took a 3-1 lead, but they're even at 3-3 now. Kuznetsova is still all over the place, so it looks like the off season hasn't brought her new clarity.

[diundasmink]

Order Of Play - Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Centre Court (from 13.00hrs)

1. Sabine Lisicki vs. Mona Barthel
2. Lucie Hradecka vs. Peng Shuai
3. Monica Niculescu vs. Zheng Jie
4. Lisicki/Peng vs. Mirza/Vesnina (after suitable rest)
5. Christina McHale vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (NB 19.00hrs)
6. Yanina Wickmayer vs. Sara Errani

Court 2 (from 13.00hrs)

1. Elena Vesnina vs. Roberta Vinci
2. Hlavackova/Hradecka vs. Barrois/Groenefeld (NB 16.00hrs; after suitable rest)

Court 4 (from 13.00hrs)

1. Flavia Pennetta vs. Elena Baltacha
2. Angelique Kerber vs. Julia Goerges (NB 14.30hrs)
3. Fanning/Kulikova vs. Goerges/Pennetta (NB 16.00hrs; after suitable rest)

[Nikkkola]

RESULTS
Singles - First Round
(2) Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (Q) Aravane Rezai (FRA) 46 63 64
(3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (Q) Alison Riske (USA) 63 62
(5) Julia Goerges (GER) d. Greta Arn (HUN) 75 36 64
(6) Roberta Vinci (ITA) d. Rebecca Marino (CAN) 75 64
(7) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. (Q) Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 63 64
(8) Monica Niculescu (ROU) d. (Q) Jamie Hampton (USA) 76(1) 61
Angelique Kerber (GER) d. Marina Erakovic (NZL) 46 64 64
Zheng Jie (CHN) d. Ayumi Morita (JPN) 46 63 64
Elena Vesnina (RUS) d. (WC) Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 63 62

Doubles - First Round
(1) Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. Dekmeijere/Moulton-Levy (LAT/USA) 64 61
Lisicki/Peng (GER/CHN) d. Errani/Vinci (ITA/ITA) 62 63
Hampton/Woehr (USA/GER) d. Birnerova/Brianti (CZE/ITA) 61 63

[clapsoewmred]

Marina

[estelle]

I watched the Erakovic interview today while it was raining, discussing her loss yesterday. It looked pretty uncomfortable- and I was glad for her when it was over. Is that how she normally interviews?

In other news, please let this be the form that Sveta will consistently have for the whole AO season. Please tennis gods, I don't even need the whole year. That's not asking for too much, is it?