At Last! 2023 Season begins.....

United Cup
Australia
December 29, 2022 - January 8, 2023

Adelaide International 1 ATP 250
Memorial Drive Tennis Centre
Adelaide, Australia
January 1 - 8, 2023

Tata Open Maharashtra ATP 250
Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex
Pune, India
January 2-7, 2023

Adelaide International 1 WTA 500
Memorial Drive Tennis Centre
Adelaide, Australia
January 1 - 8, 2023

ASB Classic WTA 250
ASB Tennis Centre
Auckland, New Zealand
January 2 - 8, 2023

Shaking off the "old" and welcoming the "new."  Athletes of course do not necessarily wait until the end of the year to set goals and make resolutions.  They do this after each match played - what worked, what didn't work, what needs to change.  We all remember last year's achievemetns and failures and look forward to the promise of a new year, a new beginning.  Let's see what we have lined up for the new season.

United Cup
Sydney, Perth, Brisbane
Australia

How it is played..

In the group stage each city will host two groups of three countries in a round-robin format. Each country can field a team of up to four women and four men. In each tie there will be two WTA and two ATP matches with the No.1 and the No.2 players facing each other, plus one mixed doubles match. If a tie is even at 2-2 the mixed doubles will decide the winner. The winner of each of the two groups will compete in the City Final on January 4 to determine the United Cup Final Four, with the runner-up team getting the fourth spot. The semifinals and finals both will be played in Sydney.

The Countries..

The top six seeds (in order of seeding) are: Greece, Poland, USA, Spain, Italy, France.

Some of the key participants are: Iga Swiatek for Poland, Rafael Nadal for Spain, Caroline Garcia for France, Matteo Berrettini for Italy, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari for Greece, and Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz for the USA. Matchups to watch:

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Grigor Dimitrov in Group A

Iga Swiatek vs Belinda Benic in Group B

Taylor Fritz vs Alexander Zverev in Group C

Rafael Nadal vs Nick Kyrgios in Group D

Matteo Berrettini vs Casper Ruud in Group E

Alize Cornet vs Donna Vekic in Group F

Here is a link to the prize money and ranking points awarded

Points and Money

Draw

Group Standings

Adelaide International 1 - ATP 250
Adelaide, Australia

The Riverbank, Adelaide, Australia

Surface: Hard

Draws: Singles 32, Doubles 24

The tournament was founded in 2020.

2022 Champion – Gael Monfils. Defeated Karen Khachanov.

The tournament has a very strong field, especially for a 250 event. It attracted players who chose not to play the United Cup as well as Russian players, who were not allowed to enter it. It is being held in conjunction with a WTA 500 tourney. 

Seeds (in order of seeding): Novak Djokovic, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, Denis Shapovalov, Karen Khachanov

Other notables include: Roberto Bautista Agut, Jack Draper, Sebastian Korda, Andy Murray, Lorenzo Sonego

Wildcards: All Australian players – Thanasi Kokkinakis, Christopher O’Connell, Jordan Thompson

Protected ranking: Kyle Edmund

Withdrawals: Corentin Moutet, Brandon Nakashima

Singles/Doubles Draws
OOP Men and Ladies

Tata Open Maharashtra ATP 250
Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex
Pune, India

Republic Township, Pune India

First held in New Dehli in 1996 the tournament moved to Chennai the following year and then to Pune in 2018. It is the only ATP tournament held in India.

2022 Champion: Joao Sousa. Defeated Emil Ruusuvuori.

Most titles: Stan Wawrinka with four (2011, 2014, 2015, 2016)

Seeds (in order of seeding): Marin Cilic, Botic van de Zandschulp, Emil Ruusuvuori, Sebastian Baez, Alex Molcan, Filip Krajinovic, Jaume Munar, Aslan Karatsev

The top four seeds have first-round byes.

Wildcards: All players from India – Manas Manoj Dhamne, Sumit Nagal, Mukund Sasikumar

Withdrawal: Jenson Brooksby

Singles/Doubles Draws

OOP

Adelaide International 1 - WTA 500
Adelaide, Australia

Twilight Skyline, Adelaide, Australia

Surface: Hard

Draw: Singles 30, doubles 24

The tournament began in 2020 and this is the 4th edition for the women. Adelaide International 2, also a 500 tourney, will immediately follow this tournament. There is a strong field, with four of the top eight players coming from countries that were barred from entering the United Cup team event.

2022 Champion: Ashleigh Barty. Defeated Elena Rybakina. (Ash also won the doubles, with partner Storm Hunter.)

Seeds (in order of seeding): Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka, Daria Kasatkina, Veronika Kudermetova, Danielle Collins, Anett Kontaveit, Jelena Ostapenko, Ekaterina Alexandrova

There is an unusual setup, with the top two players receiving first-round byes.

Other notables include: Amanda Anisimova, Victoria Azarenka, Karolina Pliskova, Elena Rybakina, Liudmila Samsonova, Qinwen Zheng

Wildcards: Aussies Jaimee Fourlis and Priscilla Hon, plus Garbine Muguruza.

Protected ranking: Bianca Andreescu, Marketa Vondrousova

There are several intriguing first-round matchups, including former Slam champions Andreescu vs Muguruza. 

Singles/Doubles Draws

OOP

ASB Classic - WTA 250
Auckland, New Zealand

Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand

Surface: Hard

Draws: Singles 32, Doubles 16.

The tournament was founded in 1986, although it was not played in 2021 or 2022 because of the Covid pandemic. The tourney was pleased to announce that Venus Williams will take part, having received a WC, in her first tournament since the USO. Venus also received a WC for the Australian Open, so obviously she is not ready to retire. 

2020 Champion: Serena Williams. Defeated Jessica Pegula.

Seeds (in order of seeding): Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens, Leylah Fernandez, Bernarda Pera, Wang Xiyu, Madison Brengle, Danka Kovinic, Rebecca Marino

Wildcards: New Zealander Erin Routliffe, plus Brenda Fruvirtova, Sofia Kenin, Venus Williams

Protected ranking: Karolina Muchova

Singles/Doubles Draws

OOP

Thanks Missy Hartt.  Phew!