The main draws are out for the first WTA and ATP tournaments of 2019.
Meanwhile, the unofficial Hopman Cup has begun, with two matches completed:
Great Britain d Greece 2-1
Maria Sakkari (GRE) d Katie Boulter (GBR) 6-0 4-6 6-2
Cameron Norrie (GBR) d Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 7-6(8) 6-4
Katie Boulter / Cameron Norrie (GBR) d
Maria Sakkari / Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4-3(0) 3-4(2) 4-3(4)
Australia d France 2-1
Ash Barty (AUS) d Alizé Cornet (FRA) 7-5 6-3
Matthew Ebden (AUS) d Lucas Pouille (FRA) 3-6 7-6(5) 6-2
Alizé Cornet / Lucas Pouille (FRA) d Ash Barty / Matthew Ebden (AUS) 4-3(4) 4-2
Also, the unofficial Mubadala World Tennis Championship, held in Abu Dhabi, was decided in a thrilling high class final:
Novak Djokovic d Kevin Anderson, the defending champion, 4-6 7-5 7-5, to claim his fourth Mubadala title, following successive wins in 2011-2013. He joins Rafa Nadal with the most titles in this pre-season exhibition tournament.
Now to the serious stuff
BRISBANE
WTA
The Brisbane International, on Hard, Plexicushion, a WTA Premier category tournament in Brisbane, Australia
Defending champion, Elina Svitolina is top seed, world ranked 4.
The remaining seven seeds are world ranked 5-11, so this an event stacked with class.
Svitolina and second seed Naomi Osaka have first round byes.
ATP
The Brisbane International, on Hard, Plexicushion, an ATP 250 category tournament in Brisbane, Australia
Rafa Nadal is top seed, world ranked 2. Kei Nishikori is second seed, world ranked 9, and the remaining six seeds are in the world’s top 35, four in the top 20. These include defending champion Nick Kyrgios, eighth seed, world ranked 35.
Andy Murray has a protected ranking, and with that is given a main draw entry. If he wins first up, he will meet fourth seed Daniil Medvedev in the second round, as the top four seeds have first round byes.
DOHA
ATP
The Qatar ExxonMobil Open, on Hard, Plexicushion, an ATP 250 category tournament in Doha, Qatar
Novak Djokovic is top seed, world ranked 1.
The remaining seven seeds are in the worlds top 30, including world number eight Dominic Thiem, and Djokovic’s conqueror in the 2018 Paris Masters 1000, Karen Khachanov.
No byes in this one.
PUNE
ATP
The Tata Maharashtra Open, on Hard, Plexipave, an ATP 250 category tournament in Pune, India
2018 runner-up Kevin Anderson is top seed, world ranked 6.
The remaining seven seeds are ranked in the world’s top 85, including defending champion Gilles Simon, third seed.
The top four seeds have first round byes.
SHENZHEN
WTA
The Shenzhen Open, on Hard, Plexipave, a WTA International category tournament in Shenzhen, China
Aryna Sabalenka is top seed, world ranked 11, and the remaining seven seeds are in the world’s top 50.
No byes here.
AUCKLAND
WTA
The ASB Classic, on Hard, a WTA International category tournament in Auckland, New Zealand
2018 runner-up, Caroline Wozniacki, is top seed, world ranked three.
The remaining seven seeds are in the world’s top fifty, including defending champion Julia Goerges, second seed, world ranked 14.
No byes.
