2012 ASB Classic preview
January 2, 2012
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- Sabine Lisicki copyright www.photosport.co.nz
One
of the strongest fields in ASB Classic history will contest the 2012
tournament, with the top eight seeds all ranked within the top 30
players in the world.
The
top seed is German Sabine Lisicki, who played as a qualifier in the
2011 tournament before having a career best year in 2011. Sabine won
two titles and made the semifinals at Wimbledon, helping her be named
the WTA's Comeback Player of the Year. Lisicki faces French wildcard
Virginie Razzano in the first round.
Peng
Shuai of China is the second seed, and the returning semifinalist had
a strong and consistent 2011 season which saw her end the year ranked
#17. She will start against a qualifier.
Third-seeded Svetlana
Kuznetsova is a two-time grand slam winner and returns to Auckland
after losing a three-set battle with Peng in the second round in
2011. The Russian plays a qualifer in the first round.
Italian
Flavia Pennetta rounds out the top four seeds. The 2010 runner-up had
some big wins in the second half of 2011, taking out Maria Sharapova
at the US Open and WTA #1 Caroline Wozniacki at the China Open.
Pennetta opens against Romanian Sorana Cirstea.
The
remaining top seeds are German Julia Goerges, who reached the
semifinals last year; Italian Roberta Vinci, who won three titles in
2011; 2010 winner and 2011 runner-up Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium; and
Romanian Monica Niculescu. Georges faces defending champion Greta Arn
of Hungary and Vinci plays Canadian Rebecca Marino. Wickmayer and
Niculescu open against qualifiers.
The
rest of the field include upcoming American Christina McHale, US Open
semifinalist Angelique Kerber; Aussie and former top 5 player Jelena
Dokic, 2009 runner-up Elena Vesnina and Kiwi #1 Marina Erakovic.
