The women’s WTA tour enters into it’s championship week featuring the Top 8-ranked players, while the men’s ATP tour rolls on with events at Valencia and Basel, then the Paris Masters next week, before they wrap up the season with their year-end championships.
Here’s a look at events this week:
ADHEREL
TEB BNP PARIBAS WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Istanbul, Turkey; Surface: hard
Seeds: Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska, Li Na, Sara Errani, Petra Kvitova, Jelena Jankovic, Angelique Kerber
Notes: The draw ceremony to determine the Red Group and White Group will be later on Sunday…Play begins Tuesday…$6 million in prize money is up for grabs…Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and American Sloane Stephens are the tournament alternates…Controversy came with the end of the season as Kerber received a late wildcard for the Linz tournament, which she won, allowing her to edge Wozniacki for a Top 8 spot. “I do not understand that (the WTA) can suddenly change the draw and allocation of wildcards that way,” Wozniacki said. “There are many things that have been done in an unsportsmanlike and unethical manner. And you can hear from other players. They think it’s so ridiculous.”…Williams takes a 13-match win streak into the event and will finish the year No. 1…Qualifier and former champ Maria Sharapova pulled from the draw with a shoulder injury…Former champs in the field are Williams (2012,’09.’01) and Kvitova (2011).
SWISS INDOORS
Basel, Switzerland; Surface: hard
Seeds: Juan Martin Del Potro, Tomas Berdych, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Richard Gasquet, Kei Nishikori, Andreas Seppi, Grigor Dimitrov
Floaters: Marcos Baghdatis, Michael Llodra, Radek “The Worm” Stepanek, “Dr.” Ivo Karlovic
Notes: Rafael Nadal pulls from the event citing a need for rest…Tough openers for (5) Gasquet who could be gassed after a long weekend vs. Llodra, (8) Dmitrov vs. The Worm, and (2) Berdych vs. Dr. Ivo…Del Potro beat Federer in last year’s final…Wildcards went to Swiss Marco Chiudinelli, the Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov, and Swiss Henri Laaksonen…Other players pulling were Brian Baker, Nikolay Davydenko, Federico Delbonis, Marinko Matosevic, and Milos Raonic…Returning former champs in the field are Del Potro (2012) and Federer (2011-10,’08-06).
VALENCIA OPEN 500
Valencia, Spain; Surface: hard
Seeds: David Ferrer, Tommy Haas, Nicolas Almagro, John Isner, Jerzy Janowicz, Gilles Simon, Fabio Fognini, Kevin Anderson
Floaters: Gael “Force” Monfils, Feliciano “F-Lo” Lopez, Janko Tipsarevic, Ernests Gulbis, Mikhail Youzhny, Bernard Tomic, Philipp Kohlschreiber
Notes: Tough openers go to (1) Ferrer vs. Gael Force (winner to likely face Lopez), (4) Isner vs. Gulbis, and (2) Haas vs. German compatriot Kohlschreiber (winner to meet Youzhny vs. Tomic winner)…Wildcards went to Spaniards Roberto Bautista-Agut, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, and Fernando “Hot Sauce” Verdasco…Pulling from the event were Marin Cilic (doping bust), J�rgen Melzer, Juan Monaco, Sam Querrey and Tommy Robredo…The Bryan brothers are the top seeds in doubles, and defending champs Peya/Soares the No. 2 seeds…Ferrer beat Alex Dolgopolov in last year’s final…Returning former champs in the field are Ferrer (2012,’10,’08), Marcel Granollers (2011), Almagro (2007-06), and Verdasco (2004).
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