The News Bulletin of the International Federation www.itftennis.com

China to tackle France in Hopman Cup opener Roland Garros champion Li Na will kickstart the Hyundai Hopman Cup as China takes on France on the opening day of the team event which starts at the Burswood Dome in Perth on 31 December.

World No. 5 Na faces a fellow Top 10 opponent in No. 9 Marion Bartoli in what will prove to be a critical clash if the Asian nation is to pull off an upset against No. 2 seed France.

Honours are even between Bartoli and Na in two previous matches, but should the Frenchwoman prevail it will mean Richard Gasquet could clinch victory in the men’s Li Na (CHN) singles match against 20-year-old Wu Di. (Photo: Paul Zimmer)

The two men have never met, but a ranking discrepancy of 403 places means the odds are stacked firmly in the favour 19 December 2011 Issue 51 of world No. 19 Gasquet.

The hosts, Australia, are in action on the second day against No. 3 seed Spain, with a mouthwatering clash between home favourite Lleyton Hewitt and Fernando Verdasco the pick of the matches.

For more information visit www.hopmancup.com

Djokovic and Kvitova on Laureus Awards shortlist

The nominations for the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards have been announced and tennis continues to feature prominently.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic (SRB) is on the shortlist to win the World Sportsman of the Year prize, while Wimbledon and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas champion Petra Kvitova (CZE) features among the World Sportswomen of the Year nominees.

The Czech Republic star has also been nominated alongside China’s Li Na for the World Breakthrough of the Year award. Esther Vergeer (NED) is one of six athletes nominated for the World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability.

The awards take place on February 6 in London. Rafael Nadal (ESP) is the reigning Petra Kvitova (CZE) & Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. Novak Djokovic (SRB) (Photo: Paul Zimmer) For more information visit www.itftennis.com

Please note that the next edition of This Week will appear on TUESDAY 3 JANUARY 2012

Inside News In Brief Rankings/Results This Week Next Week The News Bulletin of the International Tennis Federation www.itftennis.com

NEWS IN BRIEF

Strong line-up for 2012 venue confirmed Next year’s Australian Open is expected to feature The venue for Spain’s 2012 Davis Cup by BNP 99 of the world’s top 100 in both the men’s and Paribas World Group first round clash with women’s draws. Kazakhstan on 10-12 February has been confirmed.

Only Robin Soderling (SWE) and Alisa Kleybanova The reigning champions will take on the Kazakh (RUS), both of whom are recovering from long-term challenge on the indoor clay courts of the Palacio illness, have ruled themselves out. Municipal de los Deportes in Oviedo.

The 104 direct acceptances into the men’s draw For all the latest news visit DavisCup.com include Tommy Haas (GER), Fernando Gonzalez (CHI), Benjamin Becker (GER) and Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA), all of whom used their injury protected rankings. 2012 Junior Circuit begins in The first event of the 2012 ITF Junior Circuit, the

19 December 2011 Issue 51 The women’s draw includes 108 direct Grade A Casablanca Cup, takes place at the Club acceptances, with Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) and Anna Deportivo Chapultepec, , Mexico from Chakvetadze (RUS) both using protected rankings 26 December 2011 until 1 January 2012. For the as they return from injury. Venus Williams (USA), latest information from the event, visit currently ranked No. 105, has also made the cut. www.itftennis.com/juniors. Williams hasn’t played since withdrawing from her second-round US Open match after being diagnosed with autoimmune disease Sjögren’s Syndrome.

Rising US star Madison Keys and former top 100 player Jesse Levine (USA) have secured their wild card entry to the 2012 Australian Open after winning the USTA Australian Open wild card play-off on Sunday. They will join Ashleigh Barty (AUS) and Marinko Matosevic (AUS), who won the Australian Open play-off, as well as the Australian trio of Casey Dellacqua, and Lleyton Hewitt, who have all been awarded discretionary wild cards.

Page 2 The News Bulletin of the International Tennis Federation www.itftennis.com

South African Airways ATP Rankings WTA Singles Rankings

Position Player Name (Nationality) Points Position Player Name (Nationality) Points 1st DJOKOVIC, Novak (SRB) 13630 1st WOZNIACKI, Caroline (DEN) 7485 2nd NADAL, Rafael (ESP) 9595 2nd KVITOVA, Petra (CZE) 7370 3rd FEDERER, Roger (SUI) 8170 3rd AZARENKA, Victoria (BLR) 6520 4th MURRAY, Andy (GBR) 7380 4th SHARAPOVA, Maria (RUS) 6510 5th FERRER, David (ESP) 4925 5th LI, Na (CHN) 5720 6th TSONGA, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) 4335 6th STOSUR, Samantha (AUS) 5585 7th BERDYCH, Tomas (CZE) 3700 7th ZVONAREVA, Vera (RUS) 5435 8th FISH, Mardy (USA) 2965 8th RADWANSKA, Agnieszka (POL) 5250 9th TIPSAREVIC, Janko (SRB) 2595 9th BARTOLI, Marion (FRA) 4710 10th ALMAGRO, Nicolas (ESP) 2380 10th PETKOVIC, Andrea (GER) 4580

ITF Wheelchair Rankings ITF Junior Rankings 19 December 2011 Issue 51

MEN’S SINGLES RANKING JUNIOR BOYS RANKING Position Player Name (Nationality) Points Position Player Name (Nationality) Points 1st SCHEFFERS, Maikel (NED) 5277 1st VESELY, Jiri (CZE) 1462.50 2nd KUNIEDA, Shingo (JPN) 5048 2nd SAVILLE, Luke (AUS) 1258.75 3rd HOUDET, Stephane (FRA) 4662 3rd GOLDING, Oliver (GBR) 1095.00 4th VINK, Ronald (NED) 3282 4th THIEM, Dominic (AUT) 1028.75 5th PEIFER, Nicolas (FRA) 3103 5th FRATANGELO, Bjorn (USA) 972.50 6th AMMERLAAN, Robin (NED) 2875 6th DELLIEN, Hugo (BOL) 957.50 7th OLSSON, Stefan (SWE) 2486 7th MONTEIRO, Thiago (BRA) 936.25 8th SAIDA, Satoshi (JPN) 1994 8th HORANSKY, Filip (SVK) 878.75 9th CATTANEO, Frederic (FRA) 1537 9th BROADY, Liam (GBR) 818.75 10th KRUSZELNICKI, Tadeusz (POL) 1472 10th OFNER, Patrick (AUT) 782.50 WOMEN’S SINGLES RANKING JUNIOR GIRLS RANKING Position Player Name (Nationality) Points Position Player Name (Nationality) Points 1st VERGEER, Esther (NED) 5949 1st KHROMACHEVA, Irina (RUS) 1345.00 2nd VAN KOOT, Aniek (NED) 3509 2nd BARTY, Ashleigh (AUS) 1105.00 3rd GRIFFIOEN, Jiske (NED) 3291 3rd MESTACH, An-Sophie (BEL) 1062.50 4th BUIS, Marjolein (NED) 2898 4th BOUCHARD, Eugenie (CAN) 1050.00 5th ELLERBROCK, Sabine (GER) 2094 5th GARCIA, Caroline (FRA) 827.50 6th DI TORO, Daniela (AUS) 2015 6th MIN, Grace (USA) 790.00 7th SEVENANS, Annick (BEL) 1642 7th KOVINIC, Danka (MNE) 782.50 8th WALRAVEN, Sharon (NED) 1630 8th GONZALEZ, Montserrat (PAR) 773.75 9th KAMIJI, Yui (JPN) 1521 9th KONTAVEIT, Anett 772.50 10th KRUGER, Katharina (GER) 1101 10th DE VROOME, Indy (NED) 752.50 QUAD SINGLES RANKING Position Player Name (Nationality) Points 1st WAGNER, David (USA) 4636 EDITOR: Ed Pearson 2nd NORFOLK, Peter (GBR) 4068 THIS WEEK IS PRODUCED BY: 3rd GERSHONY, Noam (ISR) 3077 ITF Communications Department 4th LAPTHORNE, Andrew (GBR) 2461 Tel: +44 20 8878 6464; Fax: +44 20 8392 4747 5th TAYLOR, Nicholas (USA) 1681 Email: [email protected]

Page 3 The News Bulletin of the International Tennis Federation www.itftennis.com

Results week commencing 12 December 2011

ITF MEN’S CIRCUIT Doubles Jia Xiang Lu/Jia-Jing Lu (CHN) d. Tamara BRAZIL F43 FUTURES, GUARULHOS Curovic (SRB)/Anna Shkudun (UKR) ($10,000) 67(6) 61 [10-5] Singles Martin Alund (ARG) d. Joshua Zavala $25,000 SANTIAGO, CHILE (USA) 64 63 Singles Doubles Veronica Cepede Royg (PAR) d. Mailen Gustavo Guerses/Pedro Sakamoto (BRA) Auroux (ARG) 60 16 63 d. Edward Corrie (GBR)/Jon Wiegand Doubles (USA) 64 46 [14-12] Ines Ferrer-Suarez (ESP)/Richel Hogenkamp (NED) d. Mailen Auroux/ MEXICO F16 FUTURES, Maria Irigoyen (ARG) 64 36 [10-5] ($10,000) Singles ITF WHEELCHAIR CIRCUIT Cesar Ramirez (MEX) d. Nicolas Barrientos (COL) 62 61 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, Doubles ITF FUTURES SERIES

19 December 2011 Issue 51 Luis Diaz-Barriga (MEX)/Adam El Men’s Singles Mihdawy (USA) d. Bruno Rodriguez/ Alexander Jewitt (GBR) d. Sydwell Manuel Sanchez (MEX) 63 63 Mathonsi (RSA) 62 46 64 Women’s Singles TURKEY F35 FUTURES, ANTALYA Celia du Toit (RSA) d. Rosalea van der ($10,000) Meer (RSA) 46 63 64 Singles Quad Singles Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) d. Stefan Seifert Donald Ramphadi (RSA) d. David (GER) 62 61 Mathebula (RSA) 61 60 Doubles Men’s Doubles Oliver Golding (GBR)/Gleb Sakharov Evans Maripa/Sydwell Mathonsi (RSA) (FRA) d. Antonio Comporto/Thomas d. Leon Els/Patrick Selepe (RSA) 64 64 Fabbiano (ITA) 62 61 Women’s Doubles Celia du Toit/Rosalea van der Meer (RSA) ITF WOMEN’S CIRCUIT d. Tsholofelo Sibanda/Mariska Venter (RSA) 61 63 $10,000 ANTALYA, TURKEY Quad Doubles Singles Luan Johann Degenaar/David Mathebula Daria Salnikova (RUS) d. Jasmina (RSA) d. Bongani Dhlamini/Stephen Kajtazovic (BIH) 63 61 Kekai (RSA) 64 76(3) Doubles /Giulia Pasini (ITA) d. Basak RIO TERCERO, ARGENTINA, ITF Eraydin (TUR)/Ilona Kremen (BLR) 76(6) FUTURES SERIES 46 [10-5] Men’s Singles Augustin Ledesma (ARG) d. Ezequiel $10,000 DJIBOUTI, DJIBOUTI Casco (ARG) 36 76(5) 63 Singles Men’s Doubles Shivika Burman (IND) d. Margarita Ezequiel Casco/Augustin Ledesma Lazareva (RUS) 75 06 63 (ARG) d. Mario Garcia/Gustavo Ibanez Doubles (ARG) 64 76(2) Alexandra Romanova (RUS)/Poojashree Venkatesha (IND) d. Diana Isaeva/Anna Morgina (RUS) 61 60

$10,000 PUNE, INDIA Singles Jia-Jing Lu (CHN) d. Nicha Lertpitaksinchai (THA) 63 62 Page 4 The News Bulletin of the International Tennis Federation www.itftennis.com

This Week Next Week Events - week commencing 19 December 2011

MEN Brazil F44 Futures Brasilia $10,000

WOMEN Djibouti Djibouti $10,000 India Pune $25,000 Turkey Ankara $50,000

SENIORS South Africa George Grade 4

Events - week commencing 26 December 2011

WOMEN Russia Tyumen $50,000

SENIORS Germany Singen/Hohentwiel Grade 4

19 December 2011 Issue 51 JUNIORS Mexico Mexico City Grade A

Visit www.itftennis.com for full contact details for all forthcoming events

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