Brisbane International top seed Ana Ivanovic will make her eagerly anticipated debut on Pat Rafter Arena tomorrow night for the first night session ever at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
The crowd favourite will meet Czech Petra Kvitova in the first-round clash, which will be followed by Spain’s Davis Cup hero Fernando Verdasco against talented Queensland teenager Bernard Tomic, making his ATP debut.
Local hero Sam Stosur begins the day session on Pat Rafter Arena a day later than originally expected, after her first opponent Maria Kirilenko had to withdraw because of illness.
Stosur will take on Japanese Ai Sugiyama (ranked 31) who has been a model of consistency on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour having just posted her thirteenth consecutive top 40 finish last year.
One of the most entertaining and popular players on the ATP World Tour then makes his Brisbane International debut. Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis faces a tough assignment against Finnish left-hander Jarkko Nieminen.
Third match on Pat Rafter Arena will be the highly anticipated Jelena Dokic-Amelie Mauresmo clash.
Dokic comes into the tournament in great form and will need all of her skills as she takes on the former world No.1.
Wildcard entrant Isabella Holland will have a tough match in front of her home town on show court 1 against Czechoslovakian Lucie Safarova who is ranked 63. Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova makes her debut against Sara Errani from Italy.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga makes his first appearance in doubles, teaming with countryman Marc Gicquel to play Mario Ancic and Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Pat Rafter Arena Schedule
Day session (10.30 am start):
Sam Stosur (AUS) v Ai Sugiyama (JPN)
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) v Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Jelena Dokic (AUS) v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
Night session (7 pm start):
Ana Ivanovic (SRB) v Petra Kvitova (CZE)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) v Bernard Tomic (AUS)
Australians in action tomorrow:
Sam Stosur v Ai Sugiyama (JPN)
Jelena Dokic v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
Bernard Tomic v Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
Sam Groth v Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS)
Joseph Sirianni v Mischa Zverev (GER)
Isabella Holland v Lucie Safarova (CZE)
Peter Luczak v Xavier Malisse (BEL)
Action on the show courts and outside courts starts at 10.30am with the gates to open at 9.15am.
Tickets are on sale at the gate with reserved stadium seating starting at just $24.90. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketek.com.au or 1300 888 104.
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