Four Grand Slam singles champion headline the Brisbane International women’s field for 2019, and it’s 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens, the No.3 seed, who makes a case for the toughest first-round battle.
The American is drawn to meet former Australian Open semi-finalist Johanna Konta and is slated to meet defending champion and top seed Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals.
Svitolina brings momentum from winning the biggest title of her career at the WTA Finals in Singapore in October and holds hopes of jumpstarting her own major aspirations.
Svitolina is opposite the draw from No.2 Naomi Osaka, the surprise US Open winner, after the draw was made Saturday morning at the Queensland Tennis Centre inside Pat Rafter Arena.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, seeded fourth, is on the bottom half with Osaka.
Australian hope Sam Stosur, the 2011 US Open champion, got a wild card into the main draw. She could face No.5 seed Karolina Pliskova – a former world No.1 – in round two.
Kiki Bertens, Daria Kasatkina and Anastasija Sevastova are the remaining three seeded players, with No.8 Sevastova playing Aussie hope Daria Gavrilova in round one.