ATP/WTA Aus Open GS 1/14-1/27/2013

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[TalkAboutTennis]

THAI-SON KWIATKOWSKI, CHRISTINA MAKAROVA TO LEAD UNITED STATES
IN 2013 AUSTRALIAN OPEN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

2012 Australian Open Junior Semifinalist Mackenzie McDonald, Allie Kiick among Juniors to Represent U.S. in Melbourne

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., January 17, 2013 -- The USTA today announced the seven Americans – four girls and three boys – accepted into the singles main draws of the 2013 Australian Open Junior Championships. The main draws will be played January 19-26 at Melbourne Park in Melbourne.

Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (17, Charlotte, N.C.), Mackenzie McDonald (17, Berkeley, Calif.) and Martin Redlicki (17, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) will represent the United States in the boys’ main draw.

Christina Makarova (16, San Diego), Sachia Vickery (17, Hollywood, Fla.), Allie Kiick (17, Plantation, Fla.) and Jamie Loeb (Ossining, N.Y.) will play in the girls’ main draw.

Kwiatkowski, ranked No. 16 in the world, is the highest ranked American in the boys’ field. In December, Kwiatkowski reached the Boys 18s semifinals at the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships. McDonald, ranked No. 18 in the world, qualified and reached the semifinals of last year’s Australian Open Junior Championship, then went on to win the 2012 Easter Bowl title. Redlicki reached the finals of the USTA International Hard Court Championships in August.

Makarova, whose mother is former top-ranked Russian Luda Makarova, is the highest ranked American in the field at No. 14 and is coming off a title victory at the Copa Gatorade tournament in Venezuela last week. Kiick, the daughter of former Miami Dolphins running back Jim Kiick, is ranked No. 21 in the world, having won the International Spring Championship last April and reached the French Open Junior Championship quarterfinals in June. Vickery, who trains at the USTA Player Development National Training Center in Boca Raton, Fla., is ranked No. 23 in the world and reached the third round of both the US Open Junior Championship and Wimbledon Junior Championship last year. Loeb captured three junior titles in 2012, including at the USTA International Hard Court Championship and the International Grass Court Championship.

Last year, Taylor Townsend swept the Australian Open girls’ singles and doubles titles en route to becoming the first American girl in 30 years to finish No. 1 in the year-end world junior rankings. Donald Young (2005), Andy Roddick (2000) and Kim Kessaris (1989) have also captured Australian Open junior singles titles in the Open Era, while Madison Brengle (2007), Lindsay Davenport (1992), Brian Dunn (1992), Andrea Farley (1989), Tim Wilkison (1977) and Jai Dilouie (1976) were singles finalists.

# # #

[Ti-Amie]

Heated argument: Murray forced to play in afternoon sun again as row breaks out over favouritism towards Federer



Roger Federer and Andy Murray are at the centre of a favouritism row after the Australian Open yet again scheduled the Wimbledon champion to play the night match ahead of the British No 1 in the quarter finals on Wednesday.

The Murray camp are unhappy about the decision of tournament officials to put Federer on for his fourth consecutive night match while the 25-year-old Scot is left to play once more in the full heat of the afternoon.

It means that should they meet in Friday night's semi-final in the Rod Laver Arena – as the form book suggests is most likely – then the Swiss will go in having had four consecutive matches under lights on the main court while Murray will have had none.

Murray's coaching staff, Ivan Lendl and Dani Vallverdu, are both said to have made their opinions known to organisers about what seems an unfair situation caused by the tournament caving in to the demands of television.

Federer will play French No 1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga while Murray faces Tsonga's lesser-know compatriot Jeremy Chardy, and there is little question which would be the more attractive match for the neutral in the primetime evening slot.

Yet a fair distribution of matches is meant to be part of the equation and the latest Murray will have played in his five matches to date is just after 5pm, and that on the secondary Hisense Arena.

It makes quite a difference in pure tennis terms because the court on the Rod Laver Arena is slower than others around the Melbourne Park complex, and the balls tend to be less lively in the evening, making conditions quite different. Apart from anything, Federer has been shielded from what are, almost inevitably, hotter conditions during daylight hours.

Sources close to the Murray camp have confirmed to Sportsmail that they are unhappy with the outcome but will not say anything publicly and will make the best of the scheduling.

This is not the first time when it appears tournament directors and their referees have been favourable to Federer, who has more political clout than any player in the game and, it has to be said, is its most popular drawcard.

At Wimbledon 2009, which he ended up winning, he received privileged treatment by playing every match on Centre Court as the first match on the schedule bar one. The only exception that year was one round when he played second match on Centre Court.

Scheduling tennis events is not an easy science, although it gets less complicated as fewer players remain in the draw. In Australia the daily meeting to plan the following day is attended by representatives of the ATP, WTA, local broadcaster and host broadcaster, in this case Channel 7, who are in a fiercely competitive ratings market.

Fairness is meant to be ensured by the presence of the tournament referee, Wayne McEwen and Grand Slam Supervisor Stefan Fransson and tournament director Craig Tiley. Asked whether Murray was being unfairly treated – fourth seed David Ferrer has barely seen lights either and is also said to be unhappy – Tiley responded, 'Only if you look through a narrow looking glass, but you have to look at all the variables, such as broadcast requests, the opponents they have had and Federer playing Bernard Tomic last Saturday.

'The players know what goes in with scheduling, it isn't a simple matter. I think we do a pretty good job of being fair. TV only have a contributing voice.'

Yet it is hard to see what other reason lies behind yet another Federer night match tomorrow, and another day fixture for Murray.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ten...come-fire.html

[dryrunguy]

Murray's quarter of the draw fell apart mid-tournament. That didn't help his cause.

[JTContinental]

Murray's quarter of the draw fell apart mid-tournament. That didn't help his cause.

Nor did that fact that Roger's had a tough draw, and a lot of higher profile opponents.

[Woody]

Catering to television? I thought the most popular player would be up earlier to catch the North America prime time. Are they saying Euro tv wants Fed on in the morning (that is, Aussie night time I think)? I'm confused.

[suliso]

Catering to television? I thought the most popular player would be up earlier to catch the North America prime time. Are they saying Euro tv wants Fed on in the morning (that is, Aussie night time I think)? I'm confused.

Local TV is probably more important here. Timing in Europe is less than optimal no matter what.

[Scotty]

I'm guessing Local TV AND night session ticket sales.