===============
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
(Melbourne, Australia; outdoor hard (Plexicushion); Major)
=============== http://www.australianopen.com/
Contents
--------

1. UK TV-alert
2. First-round draw
3. Anna Chakvetadze preview
4. Order of Play for Monday

Master-thread for Andrew's Australian Open 2009 reports:
http://www.tennisforum.com/showthread.php?t=364478

--------------
1. UK TV-alert
--------------

The evening-sessions on Rod Laver Arena will be televised on BBCi
from 08:25 GMT each day of the tournament (digital viewers press Red
or select the appropriate Freeview-channel: it could be either 301 or
302).

This coverage will consist of the women's match on the evening-
session of the Rod Laver Arena (on days that there is one), followed
by the men's match, followed by recorded coverage of these matches
(or Andy Murray's match) on a continuous loop.

Additionally, all Andy Murray's matches will be televised live on
either BBC 1 or BBC 2 (his first match is on Tuesday). I think it's
quite possible that bits of other matches might be shown in these
programmes if Murray's match starts late or finishes early, as was
occasionally the case when the BBC used to do this for Tim Henman.

Other Australian Open coverage on BBC television:
* Saturday 24th January: highlights on BBC 1 (13:00 to 14:30 GMT);
* Saturday 31st January: highlights of Women's Singles final on BBC 2
(13:00 to 14:00 GMT);
* Sunday 1st February: Men's Singles final live on BBC 2 (from 08:30
GMT).

The Women's Singles final will be on the Rod Laver Arena evening-
session for the first time this year, therefore it will be live on
BBCi.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/6102132.stm

-------------------
2. First-round draw
-------------------
Key
---

[Q] qualifier
[WC] wild card
[LL] lucky loser
[EF] member of my Eternal Fanship
[DF] member of my demi-fanship
[S] Selesian
(* ?x v ?y) I prefer ?x to win
(!) enthusiastic support
(!!) very enthusiastic support!
(my loyalty is to ?x) I like both players, but prefer ?x
(my Reason says ?x, but my Passion says ?y) I prefer ?x in tennis-
terms, but want ?y to win because she's more attractive
(my Passion says ?x, but my Reason says ?y) I find ?x more
attractive, but want ?y to win because I prefer her game


2.1 Top quarter
---------------

* JELENA JANKOVIC [1] v Yvonne Meusburger
* Kirsten Flipkens v Rossana de los Ríos (komaan Kirsten!)
* Viktoriya Kutuzova [Q] v Nathalie Dechy (davai Viktoriya!)
* AI SUGIYAMA [26] v Stéphanie Dubois [Q]

* Lucie Šafárová [EF] v SYBILLE BAMMER [24] (POJDME LUCIE!!)
* Marina Erakovic v Petra Cetkovská (slight preference to Marina)
* Tsvetana Pironkova [DF] v Karolina Šprem [Q,DF] (my Reason says
Karolina, but my Passion says Tsvetana)
* MARION BARTOLI [16,DF,S] v Melanie South (allez Marion!)

* Yaroslava Shvedova v NADIA PETROVA [10] (davai Yari!)
* Sania Mirza [DF] v Marta Domachowska (my loyalty is to Sania)
* Monika Wejnert [WC] v Karin Knapp (go Monika!)
* ÁGNES SZÁVAY [23] v Galina Voskoboeva

* MARIA KIRILENKO [27,DF] v Sara Errani (davai Maria!)
* Monica Niculescu [S] v Katie O'Brien [Q] (my Passion says Katie,
but my Reason says Monica)
* Maria Elena Camerin v Edina Gallovits (forza Maria Elena!)
* VERA ZVONARËVA [7,EF] v Magdaléna Rybáriková [DF] (my loyalty is to
VERA)


2.2 Second quarter
------------------

* Alla Kudryavtseva v DINARA SAFINA [3] (Kud is the lesser of two
evils)
* Aravane Rezaď v Ekaterina Makarova (allez Aravane!)
* Patricia Mayr v Julia Schruff [Q]
* Kimiko Date Krumm [Q] v KAIA KANEPI [25] (ganbatte Kimiko!)

* DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [19,EF] v Casey Dell'Acqua (PODME DANIELA!!)
* Mathilde Johansson v Jill Craybas (allez Mathilde!)
* Andrea Petkovic v Kathrin Wörle [Q]
* ALIZÉ CORNET [15] v Mariya Koryttseva (allez Alizé!)

* CAROLINE WOZNIACKI [11] v Shahar Pe'er (my loyalty is to Caroline)
* Virginia Ruano Pascual v Mariana Duque Marino (ˇvamos Virginia!)
* Jelena Dokic [WC,EF] v Tamira Paszek (GO JELENA!!)
* ANNA CHAKVETADZE [17,EF] v Anne Keothavong (DAVAI ANNA!!)

* ALISA KLEYBANOVA [29] v Sofia Arvidsson
* Barbora Záhlavova Strýcová v Stéphanie Cohen-Aloro
* Yanina Wickmayer v Alberta Brianti [Q] (komaan Yanina!)
* ANA IVANOVIC [5,DF] v Julia Görges (my loyalty is to Ana)


2.3 Third quarter
-----------------

* VENUS WILLIAMS [6] v Angelique Kerber
* Roberta Vinci v Carla Suárez Navarro (forza Roberta!)
* Melanie Oudin [Q] v Akgul Amanmuradova
* María José Martínez Sánchez v TAMARINE TANASUGARN [32]

* ANABEL MEDINA GARRIGUES [21] v Isabella Holland [WC]
* Elena Vesnina v Julie Coin (davai Elena!)
* Jessica Moore [WC] v Christina McHale [WC] (go Jessica!)
* FLAVIA PENNETTA [12,DF] v Mara Santangelo (forza Flavia!)

* Kristina Mladenovic [WC] v PATTY SCHNYDER [14]
* Jarmila Gajdošová v Virginie Razzano
* Hsieh,Su-Wei [S] v Chan,Yung-Jan (jia you Su-Wei!)
* DOMINIKA CIBULKOVÁ [18] v Chanelle Scheepers [Q] (podme Domi!)

* Sabine Lisicki v ALEKSANDRA WOZNIAK [30] (komm jetzt Sabine!)
* Klára Zakopalová v Samantha Stosur (pojdme Klára!)
* Iveta Benešová v Vera Dushevina (pojdme Iveta!)
* ELENA DEMENTIEVA [4] v Kristina Barrois (davai Elena!)


2.4 Bottom quarter
------------------

* Anastasia Rodionova v SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA [8]
* Ayumi Morita [S] v Tatjana Malek (my Passion says Tatjana, but my
Reason says Ayumi)
* Nicole Vaidišová [EF] v Séverine Brémond (POJDME NICOLE!!)
* ALYONA BONDARENKO [31] v Olivia Rogowska [WC] (davai Alyona!)

* ZHENG,JIE [22] v Camille Pin (jia you Jie!)
* Sorana Cîrstea v Melinda Czink (hai Sorana!)
* Ekateryna Bychkova v Lourdes Domínguez Lino (davai Ekateryna)
* Kateryna Bondarenko v AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA [9]

* VICTORIA AZARENKA [13] v Petra Kvitová
* Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Tathiana Garbin
* Elena Baltacha [Q] v Anna-Lena Grönefeld (go Elena!)
* Olga Govortsova v AMÉLIE MAURESMO [20] (davai Olga!)

* Peng,Shuai [S] v FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE [28] (jia you Shuai!)
* Sesil Karatantcheva [Q] v Nuria Llagostera Vives
* Gisela Dulko [DF] v Anastasiya Yakimova (ˇvamos Gisela!)
* SERENA WILLIAMS [2] v Yuan,Meng [WC]

---------------------------
3. Anna Chakvetadze preview
---------------------------

Anna is coming off a 2008 in which she slumped from #6 to #18
following a traumatic ordeal in December 2007 in which she was tied
up by housebreakers, although she did manage to win Paris, and reach
the semi-finals of Rome, fourth round of Wimbledon and the New Haven
final. But her win/loss record was only 28:23.

Anna beat Sania Mirza 6-4 6-4 as Team Russia reached the final of the
Hong Kong exhibition, and her 7-6 6-3 loss to Venus Williams there
was encouraging, considering that Williams thrashed #1 Jelena
Jankovic and #7 Vera Zvonarëva both 6-2 6-2 in that tournament!

Less encouraging was Anna's 3-6 6-4 6-4 loss to Gisela Dulko in
another rubber of the Hong Kong final (Team Americas beat Team Russia
4:1), and then her 7-6 1-6 7-5 loss to #44 Carla Suárez Navarro in
the first round of Hobart - after leading 5-2 in the third set!

I feel that 2009 is the time for Anna to reestablish herself as the
force that reached #5 in the world after reaching the US Open 2007
semi-finals. Her kind of class is permanent, her slump isn't a career-
wrecking slump like some in women's tennis, and at the age of 21, she
still has plenty of time to get back on track. Technically, it's
mainly a matter of cutting out the unforced errors that plagued her
in 2008.


3.1 Article
-----------

2009 Australian Open - Women's Breakdown - Top 10 and Others to Watch
Nick Bollettieri (Friday 16th January 2009)
http://nickstennispicks.com/2009/01/15/2009-australian-open-womens-
breakdown-top-10-and-others-to-watch/
>>>
Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 128 lbs.
D.O.B.: 5th March 1987
Turned Pro: 2003
Current Ranking: #18
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2008 Titles: Hobart, s'Hertogenbosch, Cincinnati, and Stanford
2008 Australian Open: Quarter-finals

Nick's Thoughts:

Chakvetadze experienced some crazy stuff off the court, which I am
sure contributed to her so-so year in 2008. She has to control her
emotions, focus on her game, and believe she can do it. She has been
as high as #6 in the world, so the talent is there. Hopefully we will
see the best of her in 2009!
<<<

3.2 First round
---------------

Anna has an interesting first-round match against #53 Anne
Keothavong. What makes me nervous is that Keothavong is English, like
me. No member of my Eternal Fanship has ever lost to a player from
the British Isles, but it's not easy to be surrounded by people and
media who believe that Keothavong can beat a slumping Anna! It would
be very embarrassing for me if Anna lost after I have told these
people that they are wrong.

I'm surprised by the progress that 25-year-old Keothavong has made in
the last year. When I watched her play at Wimbledon a few years ago,
I never thought she was a world-class talent, but she had an
impressive 2008, winning four ITF tournaments (Capriolo, Jounieh,
Barnstaple and Kraków). She also played in several WTA tournaments,
and reached the third round of the US Open. Her win/loss record for
2008 was 52:28.

Keothavong has also had an impressive start to 2009, reaching the
quarter-finals of Auckland with a win over Carla Suárez Navarro (who
would beat Anna at Hobart), and advancing by retirement to the semi-
finals, where she lost 6-7 6-1 7-5 to Elena Vesnina. She upset #25
Ágnes Szávay 6-3 7-5 in the first round of Hobart, although she lost
to #62 Virginie Razzano in the second round.

I'm also surprised to recall that there is a head to head between
Anna and Keothavong! They played each other in a couple of ITFs in
England in 2003/2004, when Anna was 16: Anna leads 2:0 (6-0 6-4 and
7-5 6-2).

I don't think Keothavong really has the weapons to beat Anna, so it's
a matter of whether Anna has the unforced errors to beat herself.


3.2.1 Articles
--------------

Keothavong faces Chakvetadze-test [CEEFAX 485]
>>>
British number-one Anne Keothavong was handed a tough draw in the
Australian Open when she was paired against Russian Anna Chakvetadze.

The 21-year-old Russian is seeded 17th at Melbourne Park, while
Keothavong is ranked #53 in the world.
<<<

Tough draw for Keothavong and South [Teletext 495->496]
>>>
Keothavong faces Russian [Teletext 496]

British No.1 Anne Keothavong will kick off her Australian Open
campaign against Russian Anna Chakvetadze.

If Keothavong, who secured a place in the semi-finals of the ASB
Classic last week, sees off the 17th seed, she could face Jelena
Dokic in the second round.

Fellow Englishwoman Melanie South will face 16th seed Marion Bartoli,
while top seed Jelena Jankovic clashes with Yvonne Meusburger.
<<<

British No.1 Keothavong fancies her chances against Russian
(The Independent, Saturday 17th January 2009)
By Paul Newman in Melbourne
>>>
The Australian Open draw could have been kinder to Anne Keothavong,
but the British No.1 will go into her first-round match against Anna
Chakvetadze here next week on a high.

Keothavong equalled her best performance by reaching the semi-finals
in Auckland last week and, after climbing to a career-high No.53 in
the world-rankings, will have no fears about taking on the 21-year-
old Russian, who has slipped from No.5 to No.18.

"I'm looking forward to the match," Keothavong said. "I don't think
she's been playing her best tennis in the last couple of months.
I have nothing to lose, I'm feeling good, and I'm going into the
match with a lot of confidence."
<<<

3.3 Second round
----------------

I hope for a mouthwatering second-round match with Jelena Dokic,
although having to lose one of them in the second round feels like a
dagger in my heart!

Ten years ago, Jelena looked like a world #1 in the making. She
thrashed Martina Hingis 6-2 6-0 at Wimbledon 1999, Venus Williams
6-1 6-2 at Rome 2000, won five WTA singles-titles and reached a
career-high ranking of #4. But then her well-documented family-
problems caught up with her, and she fell off the tennis-radar,
battling depression and injuries.

2008 was a something of an encouraging turnaround for Jelena, as she
compiled a 35:10 win/loss record mainly on the ITF circuit, winning
three ITF singles-titles, working her way back to her current ranking
of #187. She gained her place at the Australian Open by winning the
wild-card play-off tournament in December.

Jelena's 7-6 7-6 loss to Amélie Mauresmo at Brisbane was encouraging,
as she hadn't played someone ranked as high as #23 for years.
Less encouraging is that she pulled out of Hobart-qualifying after
spraining her right Achilles' tendon while practising. "The
Australian Open is still 10 days away, so I still have some time,
which is good, and I should be all right," she said.

Despite Anna's struggles, I think she would have too much for Jelena
at this stage of Jelena's comeback. Anna has groundstrokes of
flairsome power like Jelena, but plays with greater variety, has
better defensive skills, and is so deceptive!

Anna's other potential second-round opponent is #80-ranked 18-year-
old Tamira Paszek, whom she leads 2:0 (6-1 7-5 in 4r US Open 2007,
and 6-3 6-2 in 2r Miami 2008).

Paszek has amazing groundstrokes, and was very impressive as a 16-
year-old in 2007. She took a set off Maria Sharapova at Birmingham,
and reached a career-high ranking of #35 after reaching the fourth
round of Wimbledon with wins over #17 Tatiana Golovin and #13 Elena
Dementieva; she also reached the fourth round of the US Open with a
win over #12 Patty Schnyder.

Paszek suffered a sophomore-slump in 2008, with a win/loss record of
16:18 after her 33:18 of 2007. The nadir was a 6-match losing-streak
that included a 6-1 6-0 loss to Tamarine Tanasugarn at Birmingham.
She looked so fat then, and yet two months later, she upset world #1
Ana Ivanovic at Montréal and looked quite delectable!

Paszek reached the final of Bali 2008 with wins over #16 Flavia
Pennetta and #11 Daniela Hantuchová, although she was hammered
6-3 6-0 by Schnyder in that final. Paszek finished 2008 on a 3-match
losing-streak, and hasn't played so far in 2009.

I'd be pretty confident of Anna beating Paszek, due to the 2:0 head
to head and Paszek's slump being much deeper than Anna's. But Paszek
is so up and down, so she could be dangerous on an up-day!


3.4 Third round
---------------

The seedings project a third-round match between Anna and 18-year-old
Caroline Wozniacki [11]. This is bad news indeed for Anna, as not
only does Wozniacki look like a future superstar, she also leads Anna
2:0 head to head (3-6 6-4 6-1 in the New Haven 2008 final, and
2-6 6-1 6-4 at Moscow 2008).

After a surprising loss to #76 Elena Vesnina at Auckland, Wozniacki
had a very impressive Sydney, thrashing #19 Dominika Cibulková
6-1 6-2 and #110 Melanie South 6-2 6-0. She then had three match-
points against Serena Williams before losing 6-7 6-3 7-6 in the
quarter-finals.

I saw a few points of that match at www.sonyericssonwtatour.com. The
way Wozniacki stranded Williams with a pinpoint crosscourt forehand
to set up a down-the-line forehand winner suggests great things for
Wozniacki in 2009!

Wozniacki has been tipped to upset Ana Ivanovic [5] in the fourth
round, so it's not looking too optimistic for Anna in the third round!

---------------------------
4. Order of Play for Monday
---------------------------

Show Court 3 (start 11:00 AEDT = 00:00 GMT)
MS 1r: Robby Ginepri v TOMÁŠ BERDYCH [20]
WS 1r: Melanie South v MARION BARTOLI [16,DF,S]
MS 1r: Samuel Groth v MARDY FISH [23]
WS 1r: Anne Keothavong v ANNA CHAKVETADZE [17,EF]

I think there's a chance Anna's match could be on BBCi if it hasn't
finished by 08:25 GMT, because Keothavong is British.

Full order of play:
http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://tinyurl.com/andrewbroad-chakv