Bouchard, Osaka Add Spice to WTA Hobart; Preview

Genie Bouchard and rising star Naomi Okaka add some spice to leading seeds Zhang Shuai and defending champ Elise Mertens at the Hobart International in Australia.
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Here’s a look at the field:

HOBART INTERNATIONAL
HOBART, Tasmania, Australia; Surface: hard

Seeds: Zhang Shuai, Elise Mertens, Sorana Cirstea, Alize Cornet, Lesia Tsurenko, Irina-Camelia Begu, Tatjana Maria, Katerina Siniakova

Floaters: Genie Bouchard, Naomi Osaka, Alison Riske, Donna Vekic

Notes: No Top 30 players in the field…Floaters are almost the favorites between Bouchard, Osaka…Tough starts for (1) Zhang 2nd rd. vs. Bouchard, (8) Siniakova vs. Riske, and (7) Maria vs. Vekic…Wildcards were awarded to Bouchard and Aussies Lizette Cabrera and Jaimee Fourlis…American Shelby Rogers pulled out of the field…Mertens beat Monica Niculescu in last year’s final…Former champions in the field are Mertens (2017), Cornet (2016), and Mona Barthel (2012).