2018 WTA Premier Sydney & International Hobart

Who will win Sydney?


  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Sydney draw is unbelievably stacked, pretty much every match is juicy.

Seeded players are: Muguruza, Venus, Ostapenko, Konta, Mladenovic, Sloane, Gorges and Sevastova.
Wildcards handed to: Muguruza, Perez, Rogowska and Stosur.
Last years final (Konta v Radwanska) is just one of many good 1R's! Others include: Stosur v Gorges, Ostapenko v Makarova, Lucic-Baroni v Kvitova, Sevastova v Cibulkova, Vesnina v Peng and Safarova v Kerber.

Qualifying was jam packed: Kontaveit, Bellis, Giorgi, Suarez Navarro, Puig, Davis, Tomic, Sakkari, McHale and more.

Konta is the defending champ and Radwanska the defending finalist. Babos/Pavs were the defending doubles champs but Pavs is out with injury.
Muguruza can regain the top ranking if she wins the title.

Hobart is unfortunately weak as per usual but has some good names.
Seeds are: Zhang, Mertens, Cirstea, Cornet, Tsurenko, Begu, T Maria and Siniakova.
Decent unseeded players include: Bouchard, Poots, Osaka, other Pliskova and Vekic.
Wildcards given to: Bouchard, Cabrera and Fourlis.
Qualifying features Watson, Flipkens, Cepelova, Brengle and Nara.

Defending champ is Mertens.

So who will win Sydney?
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Sydney draw:
DS0fJQvVQAAHIh3.jpg


Hobart draw:
https://www.hobartinternational.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/MDS-050118.pdf
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Big problems continuing for Mladenovic. The conditions looked incredibly tough, though. Perez definitely more comfortable with the conditions.

Mladenovic looks like she has lost some weight during the off-season and looked extremely thin. Hope she didn't overtrain.
 

jon70

Semi-Pro
111 degrees Fahrenheit for those non-Aussies. Low humidity but that's the only good thing.

Commentators speculating on Mladenovic not wearing a hat. Probably wouldn't have made a difference, but it did make me realise that hardly any ladies wear a proper cap, or t-shirt any more. Slip slop slap girls!
 

Devil_dog

Hall of Fame
I didn’t realize Ostapenko got herself a new Aussie coach... Guess her mom got tired of being the focus of her daughter’s anger?
 

jm1980

Talk Tennis Guru
Mladenovic's losing streak extended to 14 after loss to #341 Ellen Perez

Yikes

She's still ranked #11, somehow
 

Devil_dog

Hall of Fame
Big first half of 2017. It'll all start coming down after St Petersburg (defending champ - 470 points).

Too bad for Kiki, really. She's a tough competitor and seemed like she was really going to go up in the ranks. I hope things turn around for her.
 

ScentOfDefeat

G.O.A.T.
Yeah, definitely not a great look for last year's two surprise Slam winners.
You get the feeling Slams have winners that are as random as the winners of other (smaller) tournaments with decent draws.
 
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Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Oh god, Cepede Royg's makes noises BEFORE THE BALL EVEN GETS TO HER. It's so blatantly unfair. There's making noises when you hit the ball, and then there's making noises before it even bounces and you have a chance to hit the ball. Should be banned. Pathetic.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Yeah, definitely not a great look for last year's two surprise Slam winners.
You get the feeling Slams have winners that are as random as the winners of other (smaller) tournaments with decent draws.
Makarova beating Ostapenko isn't too bad. After all, she had the most top 10 wins in 2017 so for her to begin 2018 with a top 10 win is fitting. Giorgi beating Sloane though... not good. And that scoreline...
 

Harry_Wild

G.O.A.T.
Sloan cannot win a match since her U.S. Open tournament. Not even take a set that I remember! She is in a funk! Does not look like Sloan going to go any further, unless Sloan starts winning at least two straight matches consecutive! Fed Cup Sloan did bad too! Ugh!
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Oh wow huge error by Safarova. Kerber got this fantastic ball back but Safarova thought it was a double bounce so she didn't bother to hit the ball back. It wasn't a double bounce and so Kerber wins the point whilst Safarova blows set point.

Going to a tiebreak.
 

70後

Hall of Fame
what a pity Sloane has apparently completely goofed off since her US open tournament when she was playing so well.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Oh wow huge error by Safarova. Kerber got this fantastic ball back but Safarova thought it was a double bounce so she didn't bother to hit the ball back. It wasn't a double bounce and so Kerber wins the point whilst Safarova blows set point.

Going to a tiebreak.
Safarova takes the first.
On serve, thus far, in the second.

Sloane Stephens - seems content to rest on her USO title. A Champion without actually being a Champion. Real champions are made of sterner stuff.

Ostapenko - too early to tell, but her constantly looking to her mother/coach is tiresome and petulant.

Kerber - she'll maybe relax this year given 2017. Or she should stick to Mixed Doubles as she wasn't too shabby at the Hopman Cup.

Svitolina - I personally just find her unattractive to watch. It's boggling how quick she is given how cumbersome she looks.

One to watch - maybe Giorgi will mature mentally and grow in to her game?

The Williams Sisters - beginning of the end or continue to show the lack of championship mentality of the rest of the bunch.

Muguruza - break her own record of retirements?

Sharapova - interesting to see what she'll do in 2018.

Halep - difficult to root for a player so reliant on game plan A, and resolutely going backwards when moving forwards is the far better option.

Wozniacki - finally win a major?

I'd most like to see a player that consistently steps up and take advantage of a meh field.

Just my thoughts.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Safarova takes the first.
On serve, thus far, in the second.

Sloane Stephens - seems content to rest on her USO title. A Champion without actually being a Champion. Real champions are made of sterner stuff.

Ostapenko - too early to tell, but her constantly looking to her mother/coach is tiresome and petulant.

Kerber - she'll maybe relax this year given 2017. Or she should stick to Mixed Doubles as she wasn't too shabby at the Hopman Cup.

Svitolina - I personally just find her unattractive to watch. It's boggling how quick she is given how cumbersome she looks.

One to watch - maybe Giorgi will mature mentally and grow in to her game?

The Williams Sisters - beginning of the end or continue to show the lack of championship mentality of the rest of the bunch.

Muguruza - break her own record of retirements?

Sharapova - interesting to see what she'll do in 2018.

Halep - difficult to root for a player so reliant on game plan A, and resolutely going backwards when moving forwards is the far better option.

Wozniacki - finally win a major?

I'd most like to see a player that consistently steps up and take advantage of a meh field.

Just my thoughts.
Sloane - probably suffering from what many female slam champs do after winning their first slam. She'll come good, just a matter of how long. Don't rate her AO chances despite being a former SFist
Ostapenko- perhaps she had a bad off season, I think she'll be fine. Seems to be someone who takes a while to get ready. Easy to forget she never went past the 3R of a slam before her French Open title so i'm not expecting much of her at the AO. Could be a threat, she did push Pliskova and served for the match at last years AO but completely choked.
Kerber- looking very dangerous again. One to keep an eye on. Don't think she was one for the limelight. Stubbsy was commentating earlier and apparently Kerber asked her at what age Graf retired and Kerber was contemplating quitting during her bad reign as number 1. Looked good during the Hopman cup.
Svitolina- i'm stunned by your thoughts on her. Love her game and she is definitely not cumbersome at all. Saw her heaps in Brisbane and she's not heavy or anything. Perfectly fit, always a threat but struggles at slams. One to watch.
Giorgi- no. Just no
Williams sisters- I never know what to think of Venus. I always think she's almost done and then she surprises me and makes a big final. Always one to watch, especially in a field with not many slam champions.
Muguruza- I really like her, love her game and pretty much everything about her. She's my number one (sorry Halep). She's only one of four multi slam champions that'll be in the Aus Open draw (Venus, Kerber and Kvitova the other three).
Sharapova- couldn't really care less how she goes. I'm more interested in how the crowd will go and how everyone will react. It was the place where she tested positive so it will be something that's heavily discussed. Personally don't think she'll go anywhere too far at slams this year (e.g. slam SF/final/winning one). Maybe a QF.
Halep- I never dare to predict her anymore. Could be a 1R loss or could be a slam final loss. The only sure thing is that she won't win the slam ;) She'll find a way to choke it :p.
Wozniacki- I still believe she will win a slam at one point. Really has to be this year though. I think Serena will be shaky so the USO may be a big chance, otherwise perhaps the Aus Open?

Ones you haven't mentioned but I think should be included:

Konta- for me it's just a matter of her injury from Brisbane. Did look good and has made a slam SF in Aus before so she's a big factor.
Goerges- 14 match winning streak is incredible. Has made the 4R at the Aus Open 4 times, hasn't been seeded at the AO since 2013. Now she'll be a top 16 seed which is massive.
Pliskova- how could you leave her off!?!? Always a factor in my opinion. QF last year, was number 1 in 2017, has what it takes when the games on.
Coco- hate to admit it but she's a factor. Made the SF at the Aus Open last year as well as the Wimbledon QF and USO SF. Top 10 seed, one to watch.
Barty/Garcia- breakout 2017, not so much at slams though.
Keys- USO runner up, played well in Brisbane but was unlucky to draw an in form Konta. Made the AO SF in 2015, a threat.
Cibulkova- looked good today in Sydney, runner up in 2014 and was the 2016 Singapore champ. Wildly inconsistent but interesting.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Bouchard loses to Sabalenka in straight sets in Hobart.
Flipkens beats other Pliskova.
Zhang and Vekic both win their matches.

Kerber won the 2nd set by saving 2 match points. Up a break in the 3rd now on Safarova.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Sloane - probably suffering from what many female slam champs do after winning their first slam. She'll come good, just a matter of how long. Don't rate her AO chances despite being a former SFist
Ostapenko- perhaps she had a bad off season, I think she'll be fine. Seems to be someone who takes a while to get ready. Easy to forget she never went past the 3R of a slam before her French Open title so i'm not expecting much of her at the AO. Could be a threat, she did push Pliskova and served for the match at last years AO but completely choked.
Kerber- looking very dangerous again. One to keep an eye on. Don't think she was one for the limelight. Stubbsy was commentating earlier and apparently Kerber asked her at what age Graf retired and Kerber was contemplating quitting during her bad reign as number 1. Looked good during the Hopman cup.
Svitolina- i'm stunned by your thoughts on her. Love her game and she is definitely not cumbersome at all. Saw her heaps in Brisbane and she's not heavy or anything. Perfectly fit, always a threat but struggles at slams. One to watch.
Giorgi- no. Just no
Williams sisters- I never know what to think of Venus. I always think she's almost done and then she surprises me and makes a big final. Always one to watch, especially in a field with not many slam champions.
Muguruza- I really like her, love her game and pretty much everything about her. She's my number one (sorry Halep). She's only one of four multi slam champions that'll be in the Aus Open draw (Venus, Kerber and Kvitova the other three).
Sharapova- couldn't really care less how she goes. I'm more interested in how the crowd will go and how everyone will react. It was the place where she tested positive so it will be something that's heavily discussed. Personally don't think she'll go anywhere too far at slams this year (e.g. slam SF/final/winning one). Maybe a QF.
Halep- I never dare to predict her anymore. Could be a 1R loss or could be a slam final loss. The only sure thing is that she won't win the slam ;) She'll find a way to choke it :p.
Wozniacki- I still believe she will win a slam at one point. Really has to be this year though. I think Serena will be shaky so the USO may be a big chance, otherwise perhaps the Aus Open?

Ones you haven't mentioned but I think should be included:

Konta- for me it's just a matter of her injury from Brisbane. Did look good and has made a slam SF in Aus before so she's a big factor.
Goerges- 14 match winning streak is incredible. Has made the 4R at the Aus Open 4 times, hasn't been seeded at the AO since 2013. Now she'll be a top 16 seed which is massive.
Pliskova- how could you leave her off!?!? Always a factor in my opinion. QF last year, was number 1 in 2017, has what it takes when the games on.
Coco- hate to admit it but she's a factor. Made the SF at the Aus Open last year as well as the Wimbledon QF and USO SF. Top 10 seed, one to watch.
Barty/Garcia- breakout 2017, not so much at slams though.
Keys- USO runner up, played well in Brisbane but was unlucky to draw an in form Konta. Made the AO SF in 2015, a threat.
Cibulkova- looked good today in Sydney, runner up in 2014 and was the 2016 Singapore champ. Wildly inconsistent but interesting.

I used to like Svitolina but find her surly and really unattractive to watch. And to me, she looks stocky on court (albeit on television) and not helped by really unattractive kit.

Pliskova, I like her tennis but she's forgettable.

Muguruza I find rather one-dimensional but I'm consistent in finding the more artistic players more fun to watch, regardless of result.
Shallow as it is, if I'm not especially a fan I prefer to watch a player, of either gender, that's easier on the eye.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
I used to like Svitolina but find her surly and really unattractive to watch. And to me, she looks stocky on court (albeit on television) and not helped by really unattractive kit.

Pliskova, I like her tennis but she's forgettable.

Muguruza I find rather one-dimensional but I'm consistent in finding the more artistic players more fun to watch, regardless of result.
Shallow as it is, if I'm not especially a fan I prefer to watch a player, of either gender, that's easier on the eye.
Ouch, quite harsh to be honest.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Ouch, quite harsh to be honest.
Possibly. But it's just my opinion.
I liked how she would fight. But then found her to be quite the choker when it mattered most.
And at the WTA Tour Finals I found her really brusque and her tennis/appearance/on-court personality unappealing.
I've thought the same of some male players so it's not gender specific - Murray being my personal example. Although with him, I don't regard him too highly off the court also.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Possibly. But it's just my opinion.
I liked how she would fight. But then found her to be quite the choker when it mattered most.
And at the WTA Tour Finals I found her really brusque and her tennis/appearance/on-court personality unappealing.
I've thought the same of some male players so it's not gender specific - Murray being my personal example. Although with him, I don't regard him too highly off the court also.
Oh i'm not saying it's a sexism thing. I just think it's a tad harsh, she's never really done anything bad or unappealing. Meanwhile you're still a bit of a Sharapova fan which I find strange.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Oh i'm not saying it's a sexism thing. I just think it's a tad harsh, she's never really done anything bad or unappealing. Meanwhile you're still a bit of a Sharapova fan which I find strange.
I'm not remotely a Sharapova fan!!! I can't stand her brand of tennis.
Where I've changed my opinion on her that I find it obvious she's a marquee name where there are so few. And that she fights to the last point. And I don't really see her as a choker in a game littered with them.
And I remain a fierce critic of the likes of her, Azarenka and Venus who make such a ridiculous noise.
Although Serena Williams I find more annoying in this regard as she's not consistent with her screeching - and that she sometimes screams whilst hitting a dropshot! Why?
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
I'm not remotely a Sharapova fan!!! I can't stand her brand of tennis.
Where I've changed my opinion on her that I find it obvious she's a marquee name where there are so few. And that she fights to the last point. And I don't really see her as a choker in a game littered with them.
And I remain a fierce critic of the likes of her, Azarenka and Venus who make such a ridiculous noise.
Although Serena Williams I find more annoying in this regard as she's not consistent with her screeching - and that she sometimes screams whilst hitting a dropshot! Why?
I've gotten used to Sharapova and Serena's noises. Whilst annoying, I don't find them unbelievably impractical e.g. Cepede Royg who I heard today and was awful.

As for Sharapova, perhaps she doesn't choke as often but I prefer a choked than a drug cheat.
 

Harry_Wild

G.O.A.T.
Yeah, on the women side, there is no breakout players that come to mine! It the same hacks going at it from tournament to tournament it seems. Plus, even watching matches is a big headache for me since you have to explore social media to see which match is where and most are on Youtube but not optimized for quality viewing: lower resolution, foreign language and cut off immediately after last point!
 
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PDJ

G.O.A.T.
I've gotten used to Sharapova and Serena's noises. Whilst annoying, I don't find them unbelievably impractical e.g. Cepede Royg who I heard today and was awful.

As for Sharapova, perhaps she doesn't choke as often but I prefer a choked than a drug cheat.
I don't have any issues with proven drug cheats as I doubt she's alone and it's too grey an issue to believe every single player is clean unless proven otherwise.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
'I don't have any issues with proven drug cheats' hmm ok.
I really don't. As I said, if I thought it was isolated then I would. I just don't think it is.

In other news: reasonably entertaining first set, but the crowd is ridiculously sparse for a holder of a major. When they shake hands, I can barely see a spectator.

 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Stosur on show court 3 currently in Sydney which only has about 100 seats, no other court in use, very odd decision for a slam champ and top Aussie.

I wonder if she requested it to take pressure off?

All seats are full, just seems odd.
 
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