Men’s qualifying underway today
Tennis Australia Saturday 3 January 2009 5 Comments »
Men’s qualifying at the Brisbane International will begin today at the Queensland Tennis Centre in showery conditions.
Thirty-two players will vie for the final four spots in the main draw with nine Australian men scattered through the field.
The top seed in the qualifying rounds is Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili who will face Ilia Bozoljac for the first time. The 23-year-old Muscovite finished 2008 ranked 65 – his first top 100 finish. Ranked 139 in the world, Bozoljac will be hoping to upset his more-fancied opponent.
As for the Australians, big-serving Melburnian Chris Guccione begins his 2009 season with a tough first assignment.
Guccione, ranked 98 in the world, will meet American Amer Delic (137) in the first round of qualifying at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
Delic reached a career-high ranking of 60 in 2007 and he and Guccione have split their two meetings.
Guccione will be the highest ranked of 10 Australians in action tomorrow.
Peter Luczak, Carsten Ball and Colin Ebelthite all face tough matches against top-100 players.
Sophie Ferguson is the only Australian left in the women’s qualifying. She won a tough three setter against compatriot Anastasia Rodionova yesterday and will now square off against 106th ranked Hungarian Melinda Czink today.
Video: Queensland Tennis Centre Opening
Photo gallery: New Year’s Eve Players’ Party
Tags: Chris Guccione, Ilia Bozoljac, Sophie Ferguson, Teimuraz Gabashvili
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