Six of the world’s top 10 women and four of the top 20 men – including tennis superstar Roger Federer – will headline Brisbane International 2014 presented by Suncorp.
World No.1 and Brisbane International defending champion Serena Williams will lead one of the strongest women’s fields ever assembled for the event, which has firmly established itself as the tournament of choice for the world’s best female tennis players ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year.
Williams will be joined by world No.2 Victoria Azarenka, Russian powerhouse Maria Sharapova and fellow top 10 players Jelena Jankovic, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki in what promises to be a hotly contested women’s draw.
Azarenka, who claimed her maiden WTA title at the first ever edition of the Brisbane International in 2009, will return to the event in preparation for her tilt at a third straight Australian Open crown.
Also set to make their mark at the Queensland Tennis Centre next month are 2013 event runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and 2012 champion Kaia Kanepi and runner-up Daniela Hantuchova.
Tennis stalwart Kimiko Date-Krumm will add a wealth of experience to the draw, the 43-year-old fan favourite set to make her Brisbane International debut in 2014.
Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will lead a strong men’s field, which features top 20 players Kei Nishikori, Gilles Simon and Kevin Anderson alongside a raft of rising talent.
Brisbane International 2013 runner-up Grigor Dimitrov returns to the Sunshine State looking to go one better in 2014, but will be forced to overcome a world-class field including local hopes Lleyton Hewitt (SA), Marinko Matosevic (Vic) and 18-year-old wildcard Nick Kyrgios (ACT) in his pursuit of the title.
Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said the 2014 field was one of the strongest in the event’s history.
“The calibre of the field assembled for Brisbane International 2014 is one of the greatest on record, and we’re certainly looking forward to welcoming the world’s top players to Queensland Tennis Centre in December,” he said.
“To have Roger Federer and Serena Williams headline the event, and a line-up that features four of the world’s top 20 men and six of the top 10 women, is a remarkable result and testament to the high regard the players have for the tournament.
“It’s thanks to the incredible support the event receives from Queensland tennis fans that so many of the world’s leading players have chosen to start their 2014 campaigns here in Brisbane, and consider the tournament their ideal lead-in to the Australian Open.
“Tennis fans can certainly look forward to eight days of world-class action from some of the biggest stars of the game in 2014.”
Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said she looked forward to seeing the world’s top tennis players play at Pat Rafter Arena in December for one of Queensland’s most highly anticipated sporting events.
“We look forward to welcoming some of the biggest names in world tennis to Brisbane International 2014, now in its sixth year, and wish all the players the very best,” Ms Stuckey said.
“I have no doubt this exceptional line-up of tennis talent will attract bumper crowds to Brisbane for the event.
“The Queensland Government is proud to support Brisbane International 2014 as part of its goal to double the annual overnight visitor expenditure from $15 billion to $30 billion by 2020.”
The official fields for Brisbane International 2014 are as follows:
Men
Player World ranking
Roger Federer (SUI) No. 6
Kei Nishikori (JPN) No. 17
Gilles Simon (FRA) No. 19
Kevin Anderson (RSA) No. 20
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) No. 23
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) No. 27
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) No. 28
Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) No. 29
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) No. 34
Julien Benneteau (FRA) No. 35
Marin Cilic (CRO) No. 37
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) No. 39
Robin Haase (NED) No. 43
Denis Istomin (UZB) No. 45
Sam Querrey (USA) No. 46
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) No. 50
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) No. 60
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) No. 61
Marinko Matosevic (AUS) No. 62
Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) No. 67
Igor Sijsling (NED) No. 69
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) No. 186 [WC]
WC – wildcard
Women
Player World ranking
Serena Williams (USA) No. 1
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) No. 2
Maria Sharapova (RUS) No. 4
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) No. 8
Angelique Kerber (GER) No. 9
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) No. 10
Sabine Lisicki (GER) No. 15
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) No. 17
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) No. 23
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) No. 26
Kaia Kanepi (EST) No. 30
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) No. 33
Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) No. 37
Madison Keys (USA) No. 38
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) No. 39
Stefanie Voegele (SUI) No. 42
Andrea Petkovic (GER) No. 44
Elina Svitolina (UKR) No. 46
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) No. 49
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) No. 54
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) No. 56
Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) No. 61
* All rankings as at 21 November 2013