Serena, Sam and Svetlana headline day one

Medibank International Saturday 10 January 2009 1 Comment »

Main draw matches of the women’s singles and the final round of men’s qualifying highlight the first day of the Medibank International Sydney.

In a sensational start to the event, Serena Williams launches her Australian swing of tournaments with a first round match against Aussie No.1 Samantha Stosur.

They have only played once before, that was at the Olympic Games in Beijing last August and it was Williams who scored a straight sets win. The match is second on the centre court, the newly named Ken Rosewall Arena but is scheduled not before midday.

Prior to that match, which is the highlight match of the early stages of the Medibank International Sydney, last year’s runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova will take on China’s Peng Shuai who tends to hit the ball double-handed off both wings. It’s a match that Kuznetsova would be favoured in but she is fully aware of the Chinese player’s capabilities.

In another main draw match, 19-year-old Pole Agnieszka Radwanska, the sixth seed will play one of the few mothers travelling on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, Sybille Bammer of Austria. Radwanska won three titles in 2008 and got things off to a flying start at the Australian Open where she reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time.

In men’s action, Peter Luczak is the only Australian left in the qualifying. The Victorian takes on Belgian Xavier Malisse, who six years ago was ranked as high as 19 in the world, for a spot in the main draw.

Former Medibank International Sydney finalist Ivo Minar is also in the final round of qualifying; he takes on Jeremy Chardy of France while Canadian Frank Dancevic plays Alberto Martin.

One match that will certainly attract a fair amount of attention will be when Lleyton Hewitt and Chris Guccione take on Wallabies Stirling Mortlock and Adam Ashley-Cooper. The match is scheduled not before 12:30 pm on court one.

The first day at the Medibank International Sydney is also ‘Family free day’ with all fans given free entry to the grounds and show courts.

Great tickets are still available through Ticketek.

Call 1300 888 104 or visit www.ticketek.com.au.

Tags: Sam Stosur, Serena Williams, Svetlana Kuznetsova