Qatar Total Open 2014

[Hoergren]

Aka Doha
Well isn't it about time to have a look at that tournament. It's a little bit - to say the least - affected by withdrawals - and maybe more to come because of the FED tournaments. Here is a list of the seeds as it looks now - with Serena, Azarenka, Sharapova, Lisicki out - rankings in parantesis - seeds 1-8 has a BYE in first round:

Seeds 1-4
1. (3) Li, Na (CHN)
2. (4) Radwanska, Agnieszka (POL)
3. (6) Kvitova, Petra (CZE)
4. (7) Errani, Sara (ITA)

Seeds 5-8 (1/4 final against 1-4)
5. (8) Jankovic, Jelena (SRB)
6. (9) Kerber, Angelique (GER)
7. (10) Halep, Simona (ROU)
8. (11) Wozniacki, Caroline (DEN)

Seeds 9-12 (1/8-final against 5-8):
9. (12) Ivanovic, Ana (SRB)
10. (13) Cibulkova, Dominika (SVK)
11. (14) Vinci, Roberta (ITA)
12. (16) Stosur, Samantha (AUS)

Seeds 13-16 (1/8 final against 1-4)
13. (17) Suarez Navarro, Carla (ESP)
14 (18) Stephens, Sloane (USA)
15 (19) Bouchard, Eugenie (CAN)
16 (20) Flipkens, Kirsten (BEL)

Still an imprressive field - exciting to see how it's going with my babe - new coach aso. - fingers crossed

Little stats about the tournament:
Premier 5 - pricemoney $2.440070
64 draw - 5 WC, 43 direct in, 8 qualifiers, 8 BYE

 

[Si Si Simona]

Poor Petra Kvitova has to defend 700 points in these two events! I hope she is healthy or she may fall down the rankings in next 2 weeks.
I am saying nothing about Simo until she is back in form.
She is in an ideal attacking position on the rankings but who knows in what form she will be in.
I hope the last two butt kickings woke her up from her "ranked 10th" celebrations

 

[isabelle]

Azarenka is out of Dubai too

 

[Hoergren]

Poor Petra Kvitova has to defend 700 points in these two events! I hope she is healthy or she may fall down the rankings in next 2 weeks.

Well I can tell you that Caroline is in a worse position she has to defend 1200 points in the next 4 tournaments otherwise she'll drop in the rankings - of course depending on how well those behind are playing. Vika loses 900 points as winner last year. So many points at stake for difrferent players. Caroline looks top fit and ready to rock

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Why is Serena out?
Why is Vika out?
I know why Masha is out!
Top seed will be out!

 

[Hoergren]

Why is Serena out?
Why is Vika out?
I know why Masha is out!
Top seed will be out!

Both claim they are injured - Serena is also out of Indian Wells so it must be more serious than we think. Vika - never know about her :nono Masha is more serious she's not defending Indian Wells - as far as I've heard - so my worries about her shoulder might be right - I'm sorry for her. Here is the message from WTA 12 hours ago:

WTA ‏@WTA 12 t

World No.1 @SerenaWilliams has withdrawn from Doha/@QatarTennis with a back injury.

Here is a fantastic picture of Masha caring the Olympic flame

WTA ‏@WTA 13 t.

Not everyday you get to carry the #Olympic torch during #OpeningCeremony. Great job @MariaSharapova ;

 

[isabelle]

Vika has a foot injury

 

[Hoergren]

Here is the draw in Doha

LI, Na CHN v BYE
SCHIAVONE, Francesca ITA v RYBARIKOVA, Magdalena SVK
ZHANG, Shuai CHN v QUALIFIER
QUALIFIER v STEPHENS, Sloane USA

IVANOVIC, Ana SRB v HANTUCHOVA, Daniela SVK
SVITOLINA, Elina UKR v ZAKOPALOVA, Klara CZE
PLISKOVA, Karolina CZE v BUYUKAKCAY, Cagla TUR
BYE v KERBER, Angelique GER

KVITOVA, Petra CZE v BYE
WILLIAMS, Venus USA v QUALIFIER
PENG, Shuai CHN v QUALIFIER
SAFAROVA, Lucie CZE v FLIPKENS, Kirsten BEL

CIBULKOVA, Dominika SVK v KLEYBANOVA, Alisa RUS
VOEGELE, Stefanie SUI v CORNET, Alize FRA
KNAPP, Karin ITA v GARCIA, Caroline FRA
BYE v JANKOVIC, Jelena SRB

HALEP, Simona ROU v BYE
KANEPI, Kaia EST v LEPCHENKO, Varvara USA
BARTHEL, Mona GER v BECK, Annika GER
QUALIFIER v VINCI, Roberta ITA

BOUCHARD, Eugenie CAN v MATTEK-SANDS, Bethanie USA
NICULESCU, Monica ROU v AL NABHANI, Fatma OMA
QUALIFIER v PENNETTA, Flavia ITA
BYE v ERRANI, Sara ITA

WOZNIACKI, Caroline DEN v BYE
PETKOVIC, Andrea GER v WICKMAYER, Yanina BEL
MLADENOVIC, Kristina FRA v CEPELOVA, Jana SVK
ERAKOVIC, Marina NZL v STOSUR, Samantha AUS

SUAREZ NAVARRO, Carla ESP v PAVLYUCHENKOVA, Anastasia RUS
QUALIFIER v MEUSBURGER, Yvonne AUT
QUALIFIER v CIRSTEA, Sorana ROU
BYE v RADWANSKA, Agnieszka POL

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Petra has tough quarter, having multi-slam winner Venus, Flipkens and Safarova in her quarter.
Aggie has a tough quarter as well, Palvy and Sorana can give her problems.
Li gets Sloane and Franny in her quarter.

I think Genie can make a run here...

 

[my sherona]

With luck Halep might reach the 3rd round ..

 

[10isfan]

The start of this year is turning into a dud with these injuries. Let's see who can step up and take advantage of the top players' absence. I am hoping the injuries are short-lived.

Hoergren, I don't see any news of Pova pulling out of IW. I expect her to come prepared to fight to defend.

 

[Hoergren]

Hoergren, I don't see any news of Pova pulling out of IW. I expect her to come prepared to fight to defend.

You can see I'm not quite sure, so the rumor mill caught me - let's hope she's there.

 

[Si Si Simona]

With luck Halep might reach the 3rd round ..

DOMINANCE - get used to it

 

[Si Si Simona]

I don't see any news of Pova pulling out of IW. I expect her to come prepared to fight to defend.

Lost 400 points in Doha, 1700 points to defend in IW and Miami!
Things are gone get interesting for the pova in the next month
If she wont watch it she will be out of the top ten after the March madness! :snigger :laydownlaughing

 

[10isfan]

I don't see Pova falling out of the top ten this year unless she is injured. Despite some ugly play, she manages to be consistent enough to be near the top of the rankings. I don't think she will ever get to number one again though.

 

[Hoergren]

Well let the fun begin - here is the schedule for Mondays matches:

Monday, February 10, 2014 - local time
Centre Court
15:30 Shuai Peng (CHN) V Nadia Petrova (RUS)
17:30 Venus Williams (USA) V Petra Martic (CRO)
19:30 Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) V [11] Roberta Vinci (ITA)
20:00 Petra Cetkovska (CZE) V [14] Sloane Stephens (USA)

Court 1
15:30 Mona Barthel (GER) V Annika Beck (GER)
17:30 Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) V Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

All matches can be seen on TV. If you're unable to find a channel in your area you can use this streaming site:

http://www.drakulastream.eu/tennis-live-streaming-video.html

 

[kskate2]

Those are some tough matches. Venus, Nadia and Roberta will have their hands full.

 

[Hoergren]

Players training:

I like Caro's a lot

 

[Si Si Simona]

I like Caro's a lot

very tough draw for Caro in r2 v petka! petkovic will beat yanina and is in a very good form. petka beat dominika 2 days ago. maybe the best match in r2.

 

[Hoergren]

I like Caro's a lot

very tough draw for Caro in r2 v petka! petkovic will beat yanina and is in a very good form. petka beat dominika 2 days ago. maybe the best match in r2.

If she wants to get back on top she has to beat whoever is in play. By the way I meant her T-shirt - if you look at the text