Welcome to a new tennis season everyone! I hope all had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year.
The tours kick off in Australia with the United Cup taking place in Perth and Sydney with 18 countries/teams participating. Although an exhibition, up to 500 points are available. Also, a WTA (500) and ATP (250) are in a combined event in Brisbane, plus an ATP 250 in Hong Kong and a WTA 250 in Auckland, New Zealand.
The new season is packed with five events. so MCM your wait is over!👇
United Cup
Ken Rosewall Arena, Perth, Australia
RAC Arena, Sydney, Australia
December 29, 2023 – January 7, 2024
Surface: Hard
This is the 2nd edition of the United Cup, a mixed team event. Eighteen countries take part - Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Serbia and the USA. Up to 3 players from each tour on a team. Each city hosts 3 groups of 3 countries in a round robin format. There is one men’s singles, one woman’s singles and one mixed doubles. The top two teams from each city play the semifinals in Sydney, where the final is also played.
Some of the top-ranked and/or well-known players participating include Iga Swiatek & Hubert Hurkacz (Poland); Stefanos Tsitsipas & Maria Sakkari (Greece); Taylor Fritz & Jessica Pegula (USA); Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic); Felix Auger-Aliassime & Leylah Fernandez (Canada); Cameron Norrie (Great Britain); Qinwen Zheng (China); Novak Djokovic (Serbia); Casper Ruud (Norway); Alex de Minaur (Australia); Alexander Zverev & Angie Kerber (Germany); and Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil).
A player can receive a maximum of 500 points.
Defending champions: Team USA who defeated Team Italy.
Because this is a team event players from Russia and Belarus are unable to take part.
Brisbane International WTA 500
Queensland Tennis Centre
Brisbane, Australia
December 31, 2023 – January 7, 2024
Surface: Hard
Draws: Singles 48, Doubles 32
This is the 13th the edition. The tourney was moved to Adelaide for 2021-2023.
Defending champion: Aryna Sabalenka d. Linda Noskova.
Partly because they can’t take part in the United Cup there are many players from Russia and Belarus.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jelena Ostapenko, Liudmila Samsonova, Daria Kasatkina, Veronika Kudermetova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Victoria Azarenka.
Wildcards: Australian players Kimberly Birrell, Arina Rodionova, Daria Saville, plus Naomi Osaka
OOP
Surface: Hard
OOP
Surface: Hard
Surface: Hard
Draws: Singles 28, Doubles 16
The tourney returned to Hong Kong after a 21-year absence.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, Frances Tiafoe. Francisco Cerundolo, Jan-Lennard Struff, Lorenzo Musetti, Laslo Djere, Arthur Fils
Wildcard: Coleman Wong from Hong Kong.
Protected ranking: Marin Cilic
Withdrawals: Christopher Eubanks, Milos Raonic
ASB Classic WTA 250
ASB Tennis Centre
Auckland, New Zealand
January 1-7, 2024
Surface: Hard
Draws: Singles 32, Doubles 16
The tournament was founded in 1956.
Defending Champion: Coco Gauff d. Rebeka Masarova.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Coco Gauff, Elina Svitolina, Lesia Tsurenko, Emma Navarro, Marie Bouzkova, Wang Xinyu, Petra Martic, Varvara Gracheva
Wildcards: Australian player Monique Barry, plus Amanda Anisimova, Emma Raducanu, Carolyn Wozniacki
Withdrawals: Irina Camelia Begu, Madison Keys, Karolina Muchova, Nadia Podoroska
Brisbane International ATP 250
Queensland Tennis Centre
Brisbane, Australia
December 31, 2023 – January 7, 2024
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| 'The World Turns' - 16' foot bronze sculpture of a river rat who overturned a boulder landing an elephant on its head outside Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art |
Surface: Hard
Draws: Singles 32, Doubles 24
This is the tourney’s return. It previously ran from 2009-2019.
The big news is Rafa Nadal is playing, after missing most of the 2023 season.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Holger Rune, Grigor Dimitrov, Ben Shelton, Ugo Humbert, Sebastian Korda, Sebastian Baez, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Aslan Karatsev
Wildcards: Australian players Rinky Hijikata, Aleksandar Vukic, plus Rafa Nadal
Protected ranking: Reilly Opelka
Withdrawal: Yoshihito Nishioka
Hong Kong Tennis Open ATP 250
Victoria Park Tennis Centre
Hong Kong, China
January 1 – 7, 2024
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| Victoria Harbor ~ Hong Kong |
Surface: Hard
Draws: Singles 28, Doubles 16
The tourney returned to Hong Kong after a 21-year absence.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, Frances Tiafoe. Francisco Cerundolo, Jan-Lennard Struff, Lorenzo Musetti, Laslo Djere, Arthur Fils
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| Big Buddha ~ Po Lin Monastery located on Lantau Island, Hong Kong |
Wildcard: Coleman Wong from Hong Kong.
Protected ranking: Marin Cilic
Withdrawals: Christopher Eubanks, Milos Raonic
Happy 2024 MCM especially to Shirley and thanks for all you do☝
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