Featuring seven Grand Slam champions in one of the most anticipated events ahead of the Australian Open, the 2020 WTA Brisbane International will begin on January 6.
Six top-10 players will feature are the seeded players in the competition this week with world no.1 and French Open champion Ashleigh Barty leading the star-studded field into one of the first tournaments of the season.
Having been the first Australian since 1977 to arrive in Melbourne ranked at the top, Barty will face immense pressure from her home crowd to clinch this tournament leading up to the first Grand Slam of the year where she will make history if she can end the 41-year-long dry spell Australia has been under with the absence of the major title.
Barty had nothing short of a stunning year as she made her way to the top of the charts starting at world no.15. Having played most of her matches on hard courts, Barty holds a 31-9 win-loss record which will be at her advantage this week.
It is interesting, however, that she won her first Grand Slam on clay courts and failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals at the US Open and the Australian Open last year. The Aussie also reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon.
However, towards the year-end, Barty won the WTA Finals from defending champion Elina Svitolina on hard courts which will definitely make her the strongest contender for the season opener.
Also Read:
- Brisbane International Live Streaming Here
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- Shenzhen Open Live Streaming Here
World no.2 and 3, Karolina Pliskova and Naomi Osaka will join Barty at the Queensland Tennis Centre in what is an incredible lineup of players.
Australian Open semi-finalist Pliskova did exceedingly well at the hardcourt tournaments last year reaching the finals at the Miami Open, the quarterfinals at Indian Wells, the Rogers Cup and at Cincinnati and taking home the title at the Zhengzhou Open.
Pliskova failed to perform at the China Open but reached the semifinals at the WTA Finals suffering defeat at the hands of Barty, however, she has the odds tipped in her favour as she won the title last year defeating Lesia Tsurenko and won the title in 2017.
Osaka, the reigning Australian Open champion, who defeated Pliskova in the semifinals and Petra Kvitova in the finals last year, will be one of the top players to beat as she has proven her mettle on these courts and conditions this past year.
Osaka also won the China Open defeating Barty in the finals before withdrawing from the WTA Finals due to a shoulder injury which she has completely healed from as the new season begins.
Kvitova, who reached the finals of the Australian Open last year, had an impressive start to the season as she won the Sydney International and reached the round of 16 at Brisbane last year.
In more recent news, Maria Sharapova accepted a wild card entry to the tournament. Having had a tough year, Sharapova is ready for the new season with renewed motivation and the “fire” to do better.
One of the most celebrated players in tennis history, fans are yet to ascertain if Sharapova can deliver that motivation through her performance and show a glimpse of the form that she once had.
Joining the former world no.1 are Kiki Bertens, Angelique Kerber, Sloane Stephens, Samantha Stosur, Johanna Konta, Madison Keys and Sofia Kenin.
Multiple Grand Slam champion, Venus Williams had to pull out of the event due to a “setback” in her training and will now start her season with the Adelaide International.
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