Grand Slam winners, former world No.1s, rising stars and crowd favourites head an exciting field for the first Brisbane International.
Brisbane International Tournament Director Steve Ayles today announced a star-studded line-up for the January event at the new Queensland Tennis Centre.
World No.3 Novak Djokovic will headline the men’s draw and is joined by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Robin Soderling, Tomas Berdych, Mardy Fish, Richard Gasquet, Radek Stepanek and Spain’s Davis Cup star, Fernando Verdasco.
The women’s draw boasts world No.5, Ana Ivanovic, Victoria Azarenka, Marion Bartoli, Daniela Hantuchova, Na Li, Amelie Mauresmo, Sybille Bammer, Kaia Kanepi, Maria Kirilenko and Francesca Schiavone.
Samantha Stosur will be Australia’s sole direct acceptance into the event with the women’s main draw cut off of 56.
Ayles said he is excited about the strength of the player field for the 2009 event.
“The men’s main draw cut off of 63 and the women’s of 56 is extremely impressive.
“It is going to be very exciting to see who’s going to start their 2009 season in the best possible way – in good form and with a title win at a new event and stadium.
“The combination of this new major tournament and world-class field will reinvigorate tennis in Queensland,” Ayles said.
Crowd favourites Juan Carlos Ferrero, Kei Nishikori and Marcos Baghdatis were also announced in the men’s line-up with seven Frenchmen making it into the main draw.
Tsonga and Gasquet have been joined by fellow countrymen Florent Serra, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Michael Llodra, Marc Gicquel and Julien Benneteau completing a powerful French presence in the field.
Tickets are now on sale for the Brisbane International through Ticketek, with reserved stadium seating starting at just $24.90.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketek.com.au or 1300 888 104.
Official Brisbane International line-up (men’s)
Djokovic, Novak SRB (no. 3)
Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried FRA (no. 6)
Verdasco, Fernando ESP (no. 16)
Soderling, Robin SWE (no. 17)
Berdych, Tomas CZE (no. 20)
Fish, Mardy USA (no. 24)
Gasquet, Richard FRA (no. 25)
Stepanek, Radek CZE (no. 27)
Mathieu, Paul-Henri FRA (no. 31)
Melzer, Jurgen AUT (no. 34)
Anicic, Mario CRO (no. 36)
Nieminen, Jarkko FIN (no. 37)
Querrey, Sam USA (no. 39)
Llodra, Michael FRA (no. 40)
Benneteau, Julien FRA (no. 43)
Kunitsyn, Igor RUS (no. 47)
Ginepri, Robby USA (no. 51)
Gulbis, Ernests LAT (no. 53)
Gicquel, Marc FRA (no. 54)
Ferrero, Juan Carlos ESP (no. 55)
Dent, Taylor USA (no. 56)
Serra, Florent FRA (no. 59)
Calleri, Agustin ARG (no. 60)
Darcis, Steve BEL (no. 61)
Nishikori, Kei JPN (no. 63)
Baghdatis, Marcos CYP (no. 99) Wildcard
Official Brisbane International line-up (women’s)
Ivanovic, Ana SRB (no. 5)
Azarenka, Victoria BLR (no. 15)
Bartoli, Marion FRA (no. 17)
Hantuchova, Daniela SVK (no. 21)
Li, Na CHN (no. 23)
Mauresmo, Amelie FRA (no. 24)
Bammer, Sybille AUT (no. 26)
Kanepi, Kaia EST (no. 27)
Kirilenko, Maria RUS (no. 29)
Schiavone, Francesca ITA (no. 30)
Sugiyama, Ai JPN (no. 31)
Kleybanova, Alisa RUS (no. 32)
Bondarenko, Alona UKR (no. 33)
Peng, Shuai CHN (no. 40)
Errani, Sara ITA (no. 42)
Benesova, Iveta CZE (no. 43)
Kvitova, Petra CZE (no. 44)
Pironkova, Tsvetana K BUL (no. 45)
Niculescu, Monica ROU (no. 47)
Govortsova, Olga BLR (no. 49)
Stosur, Samantha AUS (no. 52)
Garbin, Tathiana ITA (no. 55)
Arvidsson, Sofia SWE (no. 56)