Kerber among early Sydney carnage

In the week before the first Grand Slam tournament of 2017, only one top ten male player is contesting either of the two ATP tour events being held.

Dominic Thiem is the number one seed in Sydney, and the eighth ranked Austrian has no fellow representatives from the world's top twenty competing with him.

Auckland has two - American John Isner (19) and just crowned Chennai champion Roberto Bautista Agut (14).

Both had first round byes and will meet Tunisian veteran Malek Jaziri and Czech Jiri Vesely in respective second round matches.

Unfortunately Hobart had several withdrawals, including its defending champion, Alize Cornet.  In addition second seed, Anastasija Sevastova and fifth seed Misaki Doi left courtesy of first round losses.  Sevastova out in a tough three setter to Shelby Rogers, and Doi to 208th ranked Australian teenager Lizette Cabrera, also in three.

The tournament still has its top seed, Kiki Bertens and third seed Monica Niculescu alive in the draw, the latter through to the quarters after her victory today over Kirsten Flipkens, helped in part with an incredible first serve percentage of 90.

Despite the late loss of Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina, a number of the best women players have committed themselves to the Sydney event, with five of the world's top ten featuring, and eight of the top twenty.

At least they appeared at the start.

After two rounds, we had said farewell to Angie Kerber (seeded 1), Dominika Cibulkova (3), Sveta Kuznetsova (5), Elena Vesnina (8) and Roberta Vinci (9).

Kerber was trounced by young Russian sensation Daria Kasatkina in straight sets, the first in a tie break, the second 6-2, the German serve broken three times.

Cibulkova became the latest part of the Genie Bouchard revival project, the Canadian prevailing in two sets, the second 6-3. Bouchard was required to serve 43 times in just 5 service games in the second set.  Good practice and the result was worth the trouble.

Anastasija Pavlyuchenkova knocked Kuznetsova out of Sydney, the second Grand Slam champion in two rounds, following her dismissal of Samantha Stosur in the opening match, continuing the Australians poor record at home.

Vinci fell to Barbora Strycova, which is nothing to be ashamed of these days, and Vesnina was forced to retire after trailing 6-2 4-0 to Coco Vandeweghe in the first round.

Second seed Aga Radwanska, sixth seed Johanna Konta and tenth seed Caroline Wozniacki head the list of eight quarter finalists, with the pick of the matches to come being the Wozniacki v Strycova battle.

Dimitrov stars in Brisbane

Grigor Dimitrov in 2014 reached number eight in the world and won three tournaments, but his career stalled somewhat until late last year, and it took the 2017 Brisbane International to deliver the Bulgarian another victory on the ATP Tour.

Ranked seventeen prior to the event, Dimitrov displayed some wonderful early season form in dispatching Dominic Thiem, defending champion Milos Raonic, and in the final Kei Nishikori.

Three top ten players in succession - quite impressive.

The final was a roller coaster, set one noteworthy for the effectiveness of Dimitrov's first serve, relative to Nishikori.  Grigor was winning 79% of the time compared with 58% for Nishikori.  With two breaks of serve, Dimitrov clinched the opening set 6-2.

Set two was also claimed 6-2, but by Nishikori, who had turned things around dramatically, winning all but four points whenever he served, and about half of those when Dimitrov served.

Dimitrov reasserted himself in the decider, and although Nishikori held serve for the most part, the pressure was immense due to the ease with which Dimitrov was winning points on his racquet - 20 from 22 deliveries.

One break of the Japanese serve was sufficient for Grigor to take the set, the match and the title 6-2 2-6 6-3.

Chennai was the scene for another title success for Roberto Bautista Agut, far too accomplished for tall and inexperienced Russian Daniil Medvedev.  Roberto began 2016 in similar sparkling form, and will be hoping that the Aus Open treats him even better than his round of sixteen finish last year.

This week the final warm ups before Melbourne Park for the women include tournaments in Sydney and Hobart, while the men are fighting for titles in Sydney and Auckland.

Djokovic and Pliskova sound warnings

In all of the four titles - three WTA and 1 ATP - decided in 2017 so far, the top seed has failed to prevail.  And the two finals to be played today do not feature the number one seed.

In Doha overnight, the number one was upstaged by the previous world dominator in what could be just the first of many encounters this year between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray on the final day of tournaments.

Djokovic barely survived his semi final, but was switched on for the bigger occasion, proving too clean and precise, forcing Murray into defensive mode more often than he had been used to of late, with the serve working a treat.

The set was Serbian 6-3, and when he broke in the seventh game of the second and had match points serving at 5-4, it came as a surprise that Murray was able to storm back with apparent ease to win three straight games and tie the match at a set all.

Set three once again saw Djokovic break in the seventh game but this time he was able to serve out the match at 5-4, and the statistical world number two put forward his first real argument in 2017 for standing as world's best with a solid 6-3 5-7 6-3 victory, successfully defending his 2016 Doha title.

Last night in Brisbane, Karolina Pliskova effectively destroyed any of Alize Cornet's title hopes with a withering first set performance.  6-0, losing only two points on her serve - Cornet won just three points on her delivery.  

To the French players credit, she competed well in set two, but Pliskova's standard of tennis remained irresistible or just a touch under, at worst.

What may concern the Czech number one is her first serve percentage which dipped as low as 45% in the second set, and this is where Cornet was able to win her way into several more points, albeit never threatening to reach a break point.  The win was secured 6-0 6-3.  Back to number five in the world for Pliskova.  Cornet up 10 spots to 31.

While Karolina is in such control of her game that she can compete strongly on the back of even her second serve, come the serious end of major tournaments she won't have the same luxury.

More Czech success, this time in Shenzhen, China, as 20 year old Katerina Siniakova followed the lead of Lauren Davis this week in winning her first WTA title.  The unseeded player defeated American eighth seed Alison Riske in straight sets, completing a memorable tournament which saw her claim wins over top ten players Simona Halep and Johanna Konta along the way.

The future for the Czech Fed Cup team, so dominant in recent years, seems assured for many more campaigns.  Hopefully Petra Kvitova can recover fully to rejoin the team at some stage.

Lauren Davis 1st Title

Lauren Davis captured her first WTA title in Auckland following her decisive victory over Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh in the final today.  The 23 year old American, previously ranked 61, but now guaranteed to leap back into the top fifty, claimed the scalps of no less than four seeded players on her path to glory.

Giving away a significant height advantage, Davis dominated Konjuh's second serve, winning 64% of points once it was in play, and she broke the Croatian serve five times.

For her efforts, Konjuh will rise to a career high 36.

Overnight, Australian time, Andy Murray booked a finals appointment with Novak Djokovic in Doha, but the methods of arriving there were rather different.  Before Murray dispensed with Tomas Berdych in straight sets, as is usual with Berdych in semi finals, Djokovic dropped the opening set against unseeded Fernando Verdasco 6-4.  He then had to save three break points at 4-4 in the second set.  In the ensuing tie break, he led 2-1, then lost five straight points to be staring four match points in the face.  

Remarkably he drew level at 6 points apiece and appeared to have snatched the momentum away from the Spaniard.  Verdasco intervened, taking the next point off the second seed and be serving with a fifth match point.

Novak saved this one, and with that Verdasco had wasted his last opportunity to cause a major upset.  Djokovic won 4-6 7-6 (7) 6-3.

In Brisbane today, Kei Nishikori proved too efficient for Stan Wawrinka once the Swiss number one lost the first set in a tie break, despite creating the only three break points of the set.

Set two saw Nishikori tear the Swiss serve to pieces, breaking it twice, and winning more than half the points on it.

In a similar scoreline, Grigor Dimitrov caused a boil over, bundling top seed and defending champ Milos Raonic out of the tournament 7-6 6-2.

The first set was resolved in a tie break, after no service breaks were obtained, not even a break point created.  The first serve percentages were both around 50%.

Set two saw the first serve percentages change dramatically - Dimitrov could almost not miss, hitting the mark 81% of the time, while Raonic dropped to 42%.

The Bulgarian feasted on the Canadian second serve, winning 10 of the 14 times that it was required.

Subsequently, the set was won easily, and the semi final 7-6 (7) 6-2 to Dimitrov, whose form suggests he could very well win the final against Nishikori.

Tonight the women battle for the Brisbane title, and while Aliza Cornet has had a good tournament, there can be no denying that favouritism belongs to the brilliant Karolina Pliskova, who dismantled Elina Svitolina in ominous fashion last night.

Her serve was effortlessly glorious, and the winners just flowed off both wings.  At this particular stage, Pliskova is delivering the best tennis on the WTA Tour, and Melbourne Park should be ready for something special from last year's US Open runner-up in a week or so.

Raonic firing in Brisbane

Unfortunately, Garbine Muguruza was forced out of the Brisbane International after trailing Alize Cornet 1-4 in the first set of the first semi final.  Hopefully the thigh injury does not affect the remainder of her Australian Summer, especially the Aus Open.  Meanwhile, Cornet awaits the winner of tonight's second semi between Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina.

That match will follow the intriguing quarter final battle which Milos Raonic and Rafa Nadal have just served up.

Initially it was the Spaniard calling the shots, his crisp forcing ground shots and ability to return the big Canadian serve, enough to cause an early service break.  That was sufficient to claim the opening set, as the Nadal serve was solid, the single break point against it saved without trouble.

Set two saw the Raonic serve become more potent, but it's effect on the match diluted through a spate of poor volleying choices and technique.  However, despite some close calls, no breaks of serve eventuated for seven games.  In fact just two break points had been created, both on the Raonic delivery, and both saved.

The eighth game was the match changer - Raonic played some delightful shots, sending Nadal so wide on occasion that he ended up in some of Brisbane's outer suburbs.  The break came, and then a service hold to behold.

The match was tied at a set apiece.

The momentum now so much with Canada continued into the deciding set and Rafa lost his second serve in succession.  At 2-1 and 30-30, a superb attacking lob winner from Nadal gave him a break point and a chance to level, but Raonic had the immediate answer.

Serves were held and soon it was 4-3 with Raonic at the line again.  Four tracer bullets left Nadal powerless to contribute and the top seed was a game away from a semi final.  23 aces now for Milos.

Nadal held serve, but Raonic had no problem completing the win 4-6 6-3 6-4.

His semi final opponent will be Grigor Dimitrov, who survived a three setter himself against fourth seed Dominic Thiem.

The other semi final sees Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori cross swords.  They held too many weapons for their unseeded opponents, Kyle Edmund and Jordan Thompson, although Stan did drop the opening set tie break on the way to his victory.

In other tournamnents Lauren Davis and eighth seed Ana Konjuh will contest the Auckland final after semi final wins over Ostapenko and Goerges respectively.

The Shenzhen final will be fought out between Katerina Siniakova and eighth seed Alison Riske.  Siniakova upset the highest ranked player left in the draw, Johanna Konta, after losing the first set 1-6, and Riske eliminated Camila Giorgi in a standard two setter.

Top seed out in NZ, China, India, Aus

As we approach the serious end of the opening tournaments of 2017, there have been some surprise results which will only add intrigue to the upcoming Aus Open.

Auckland saw the exit of the top two seeds, both Williams sisters, after just two rounds.  Venus withdrew through injury but Serena lost to fellow American Madison Brengle.  Sadly for Madison the biggest win of her career could not translate into further tournament success and the semi final spot she'd hoped for was taken by Latvian seventh seed Jelena Ostapenko in two sets.

One American who will be in the semis in New Zealand is Lauren Davis.  After knocking out fifth seed Kiki Bertens in the opening round, unseeded Davis gave in form fourth seed Barbora Strycova her marching orders in an impressive quarter final victory.  It will be Ostapenko v Davis in one semi and eighth seed Ana Konjuh from Croatia against unseeded German Julia Goerges in the other.

Goerges fought back incredibly from a set and 0-3 down against third seed Caroline Wozniacki to take out the last quarter final 1-6 6-3 6-4. 

In Brisbane, 7 of the men's quarter finalists have been determined, with two unseeded players providing upsets - Australia received great joy when Jordan Thompson came from a set down to defeat 8th seed David Ferrer and England's Kyle Edmund was ahead by a set and leading in the second when 6th seed Lucas Pouille surrendered with an injury.

If Nadal wins tonight it sets up a mouth watering quarter final with top seed and defending champ Milos Raonic.

One women's semi final is set - fourth seed Garbine Muguruza will face unseeded Alize Cornet after wins over Sveta Kuznetsova and second seed Dominika Cibulkova respectively.  Both Cornet and Muguruza have played some high quality tennis throughout, and have fought hard from some difficult positions, especially Garbine, so expect a terrific match.  Garbine to win, just.

Third seed Karolina Pliskova will play Elena Svitolina in the other semi, thanks to Elena's wonderful victory over the world number one Angie Kerber in three absorbing sets.  However, even with that fine result, and despite Pliskova losing the first set of her quarter final to Roberta Vinci, I believe that Karolina has shown enough to be my pick for a final spot.  Her serve is huge, and improved pace around the court makes her increasingly dangerous for any opponent this year.

The top two seeds are gone from the Shenzhen draw, Simona Halep exiting first, and now Alison Riske blitzing Aga Radwanska 6-0 in the deciding third set of their quarter final.  The eighth seeded American won 24 of the 30 points played in the final set, after Radwanska had tied it up at a set all.

Third seed Johanna Konta meets Katerina Siniakova in the semi finals and Riske has to deal with Italian Camila Giorgi.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic remain on course to meet in the Doha final, as two more seeds - David Goffin and Philipp Kohlschreiber - have fallen en route to the quarter final stage.  Murray has unseeded Almagro and Djokovic has qualifier Stepanek to manage next.

Chennai lost its main drawcard top seed Marin Cilic in the second round - his first outing - following a shock defeat to Slovak qualifier Josef Kovalik, ranked 117.

Each player broke serve twice but Kovalik saved nine break points and this was pivotal.

Of the four quarter finalists decided to this point, only one is seeded - Albert Ramos-Vinolas (3).

Garbine value for money

Andy Murray, recently knighted for making truckloads of money and looking deliriously unhappy on court while doing so, opened up 2017 as expected by embarrassing Jeremy Chardy in the first set in Doha 6-0, surrendering a mere 7 points to France in the process. Easing up a little in the second, the scowling Scot completed the execution via a tie break, and thus the world number one had begun his quest for more glory for the loss of not too much perspiration.

The previous day, the number two seed Novak Djokovic (still the world's best in my opinion) was still in the locker room for the first six games, and despite Jan-Lenard Struff grabbing a 5-1 edge, Novak cruised past the German, whose heart broke.  Djokovic, ever the neat freak, picked up the broken pieces, brushed up his own game and cleaned up what was left on offer for a 7-6 6-3 win.

The support acts to Andy and Novak have begun in fairly good form, although Jo-Wilfried Tsonga took three sets to convince Andrey Kuznetsov to leave Qatar.

Ivo Karlovic couldn't break the Illya Marchenko serve but 13 aces from the Croatian was enough to ensure he would win the two tie breakers.

Goffin v Karlovic and Berdych v Tsonga are the pick of the probable quarter finals.

In Brisbane, the men's top players are performing to expectations, with Rafa Nadal, Lucas Pouille, Grigor Dimitrov and David Ferrer all through to the second round.

Pouille had the greatest difficulty, another Frenchman Gilles Simon taking him to two tie breaks, and in fact rueing lost opportunities - Pouille converted all of his four break points, while Simon converted four of twelve chances.

Also in Brisbane, Garbine Muguruza is in the quarter finals, although listening to the commentators you may think that the players she has beaten had actually won those matches.  After losing the first set to Muguruza, Samantha Stosur came back strongly to win the second in a tie break and lead 4-2 in the decider.

The Spanish world number seven refused to yield and eventually prevailed 7-5,  but for the home commentators it was all praise to Stosur and how she had performed - no mention of the winner and her effort to pull out the victory from a break down.

Similarly, the excellent second round match last night against young Russian Daria Kasatkina, decided in a gripping third set tie break, was all about the loser if you believed the commentators.  Again little mention of who won the encounter.

Third seed Karolina Pliskova is another quarter finalist, but has booked her spot with ease, dropping just nine games in her two matches.

Elena Svitolina and Aliza Cornet are also in the final eight, Svitolina scraping through after a fine three setter against a fighting Shelby Rogers, Cornet making far easier work of another American Christina McHale.

Rain has plagued Auckland, but both Williams sisters are in the second round, joined by Caro Wozniacki and Barbora Strycova, while American Lauren Davis upset fifth seed Kiki Bertens.

Venus defeated young New Zealander Jade Lewis, ranked 1099, and at 18 half her highly decorated opponents age.