[esenesesinas]

Is Kimiko in? Timea is higher ranked, and I thought she was eligible.

[lerobudrse]

Is Kimiko in? Timea is higher ranked, and I thought she was eligible.

Kimiko got the WC.

[allvideO]

Is Kimiko in? Timea is higher ranked, and I thought she was eligible.

The last two are the WC. Timea is #55. They got smart, they left Zvonerava and understandbly Pennetta alone .

[Rqvtwlfk]

Vera is 1st Alternate at Doha and just got the TAP to fill in for Dinara, who has withdrawn with low back injury.

[esenesesinas]

Indonesia Will Issue Visa for Israeli Tennis Star

Without even hitting a ball in anger, Shahar Peer has raised plenty of eyebrows ahead of the inaugural Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions.

The Israeli tennis star’s name stood out among the 12-player list announced on Tuesday ahead of the $600,000 tournament at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua on Nov. 4-8.

Indonesia has no official diplomatic relations with Israel, but the government avoided another showdown between the worlds of sports and politics as it granted Peer an entry visa to play in the tournament.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah confirmed on Thursday that Peer was granted a visa. “We’ve issued an entry visa for her, but I have yet to know from which embassy she applied for it,” Faizasyah said. “We don’t have diplomatic ties with Israel, but in several cases, such as sports events or if we’re hosting an international conference which should have an Israeli delegation in it, we could grant then an entry visa.”

To qualify, players must be among the 10 highest ranked not playing in the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha. In addition, they must have won at least one of 29 selected WTA Tour tournaments this season. Peer has won two WTA events — the Guangzhou International Women’s Open in China and the Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan, both in September — to earn her berth.

Peer garnered headlines when she was denied an entry visa by the United Arab Emirates government to play in the Dubai Tennis Championship in February. Tournament organizers said security fears were behind the decision to bar Peer. The WTA board fined the tournament a record $300,000 for a breach of tour rules.

Tournament director Kevin Livesey said part of the WTA’s rules for the tournament says every player who is qualified has to play in Bali.

“She is here in her capacity as a professional tennis player participating an international tennis tournament,” Livesey wrote in an e-mail to the Jakarta Globe.

The tournament features a round-robin format with four groups of three players, with each group winner advancing to the semifinals. The draw takes place on Monday

http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/indo...is-star/338481

[SannyGlow]

I don't even get why this event comes AFTER the YEC and not before. The conflict with Fed Cup is the least of my problems with this entire thing. I think it's fair that everyone compete for the big dance the way it's done in the ATP. Why hold an event that is more of a "consolation" prize, a step down if you will for the players. It's like saying you're the best second rate player around.

And this is not to disparage the women who will play. I just think this is crap.

I agree...it's like the NIT tournament in college basketball.

[cigattIcTot]

I agree...it's like the NIT tournament in college basketball.

Yes, good analogy. It;s like I feel good that some decent players get to play a little longer in the season but I keep thinking: "but these aren't even the best...not really even close to the best..."

[enrisaabsotte]

WICKMAYER AND MEDINA GARRIGUES FIRST TO QUALIFY FOR COMMONWEALTH BANK TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS – BALI 2009

Championships for Tour’s International Tournaments to make debut and offer $600,000 in prize money and $1 million bonus opportunity
ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA – Yanina Wickmayer and Anabel Medina Garrigues are the first two players to qualify for the inaugural Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, a season-ending Championships for the Tour’s top International tournament winners. Set to make its debut in Bali, Indonesia from November 4-8, 2009, the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions will feature top Tour players and next generation champions competing in an innovative 12 woman round robin singles format (four groups of three players), and offer both $600,000 in prize money and an opportunity to earn a $1 million bonus.

Belgian teenager Wickmayer has had a breakthrough season on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, highlighted by winning her first Tour title at the Estoril Open (Estoril) – an International event on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour calendar. She followed that effort with her best Grand Slam performance to date by reaching the semifinals of the US Open (losing to Caroline Wozniacki). On the heels of her US Open results, Wickmayer made her debut in the Top 25 when she reached a career-high World No. 22 the week of September 14, 2009. Currently ranked World No.24 (week of October 12, 2009), she is the second youngest player ranked inside the Top 30 (second to Wozniacki). She was also a finalist in both singles and doubles (with Michaella Krajicek) at the Ordina Open (‘s-Hertogenbosch).

“I am thrilled about having an opportunity to go to Bali for the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions,” said Wickmayer. “I’ve had a really good year, winning my first Tour tournament and having a dream run at the US Open. Going to Bali is a perfect ending to my season.”

Medina Garrigues has had one of the best seasons of her 13-year professional career which included winning the title at the Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem (Fes), an International event that established her eligibility for the Tournament of Champions. Following her win in Fes, the 27-year-old Spaniard reached a career-best ranking of World No.16. Additionally, Medina Garrigues was a finalist at the Hansol Korea Open (Seoul), a semifinalist at the Andalucía Tennis Experience (Marbella) and reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, her best Grand Slam showing to date. She also won her second career Grand Slam doubles title (and 13th Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles title overall) at Roland Garros where she and partner Virginia Ruano Pascual successfully defended their 2008 title.

“I am really excited about qualifying for the tournament in Bali because I had a very good season and I am glad that all the hard work is paying off,” said Medina Garrigues.

“The Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions promises to be a fantastic year-end finale for the winners of the Tour’s International events,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. “Bali is a fantastic location and is a favorite of the players and the fans. I congratulate Yanina and Anabel on being the first players to qualify for the event and wish them luck in what will be a terrific finale to their 2009 season.”

“We are very excited to welcome players to beautiful Bali for the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions which promises to be a great event for numerous established stars of the Tour, as well as the next generation of players,” said Kevin Livesey, Tournament Director, Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions. “We would like to congratulate Yanina and Anabel on qualifying for the Championships and look forward to them challenging the rest of this season’s International events winners for the coveted title.”

“We at Commonwealth Bank are very happy to support women’s tennis as the main sponsor of this tournament,” said Mr. Nursing, President Director, Commonwealth Bank of Indonesia. “This year, as the tournament gained its stature and has become a major Championships, we have also upgraded our commitment to support it. We hope that the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions will serve as the inspiration to young people in Indonesia and Asia to pick up a racket and get involved in the sport of tennis.”

The top 10 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players who have won at least one International tournament during the year and who are not participating in singles at the year-end Sony Ericsson Championships – Doha 2009 will qualify for the event, along with two wild cards. A player who wins three International tournaments and the season-ending Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions will take home the additional $1 million bonus on top of her prize money. The Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions will represent the championships for the International tournaments, bringing a season-long link and race tying together the International events. All players who qualify by ranking will be required to play the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions. Players who have qualified for the year-end Sony Ericsson Championships singles event will not be eligible to play in Bali.

This year, 24 different players have captured an International singles title. There are three remaining International events left on the 2009 calendar - Generali Ladies Linz, HP Open (Osaka) and BGL Luxembourg Open (Luxembourg) and the competition field is wide open.

2 (D)Dinara Safina RUS 7731 Portoroz
6 (D) Caroline Wozniacki DEN 5485 Ponte Vedra Beach
5 (D) Elena Dementieva RUS 5415 Auckland
8 (D) Victoria Azarenka BLR 4451 Brisbane, Memphis
3 (D) Venus Williams USA 4397 Acapulco
9 % Jelena Jankovic SRB 3555 Marbella
7 % Vera Zvonareva RUS 3550 Pattaya City
11 % Flavia Pennetta ITA 3130 Palermo
12 % Marion Bartoli FRA 3105 Monterrey
24 (B) Yanina Wickmayer BEL 1982 Estoril
21 (B) Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP 1870 Fes
33 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez ESP 1650 Bogota, Bastad
38 Shahar Peer ISR 1600 Guangzhou, Tashkent
40 Melinda Czink HUN 1507 Quebec City
43 Aravane Rezai FRA 1415 Strasbourg
45 Magdalena Rybarikova SVK 1395 Birmingham
46 Agnes Szavay HUN 1392 Budapest
51 Vera Dushevina RUS 1275 Istanbul
54 Andrea Petkovic GER 1209 Bad Gastein
52 Sybille Bammer AUT 1190 Prague
58 Roberta Vinci ITA 1036 Barcelona
55 Petra Kvitova CZE 927 Hobart
96 Kimiko Date Krumm JPN 651 Seoul
113 Tamarine Tanasugarn THA 565 ‘s-Hertogenbosch
(D) Qualified for Sony Ericsson Championships – Doha 2009
(B) Qualified for Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions
% Still eligible to qualify for the Sony Ericsson Championships – Doha 2009
^Denotes current rank on Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Rankings
*Denotes projected ranking points
*Sorted by Projected Ranking Points for Week of October 26, 2009

[CicyHannyCeli]

Either Doha or Fed Cup for Flavia so goodbye Bali for her. Jelena is leaning on declining Bali if she falls short of Doha. Marion may be there while no idea on Vera.

[esenesesinas]

Either Doha or Fed Cup for Flavia so goodbye Bali for her.

But Bali's mandatory, so it's going to be interesting to see what the WTA will do with Flavia should she decline to play.