Tomic Wins First Title, Gives Aussies Hope

Tennis fans in Australia are now more hopeful of their up and comer Bernard Tomic after a poor showing in 2012, since he will enter the Aussie Open on a winning streak and he also beat Djokovic at the Hopman Cup.  He could see Federer in the third round in Melbourne and there is still a long season ahead but this is the best news the Aussies have had about Tomic in awhile.  Two players that can be likened to each other due to their dominance over ranked below them but inability to beat players ranked above them won events this past week, heading to Melbourne as the fourth seeds riding a wave confidence:  Agnieszka Radwanska and David Ferrer.  Radwanska has yet to lose a match this year, winning tournaments in Auckland and Sydney, the latter this week with a DOUBLE BAGEL in the FINAL.  And finally, Elena Vesnina was a surprise champion in Hobart, after a tight match in the final over the defending champion.  The Russian won her first career title in her SEVENTH final.

Good Stories
-Jesse Levine (CAN) reached the quarters as qualifier in Auckland.  The Canadian-born former American player switched his nationality to Canada after struggling as a journeyman for many years.
-Another solid results for Gael Monfils (FRA) as he fights back from injury.  He reached the SF in Auckland.
-Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) is on the comeback trail, actually coming through qualifying to reach the QF in Sydney.
-Madison Keys (USA) making the quarters in Sydney as a qualifier and taking a set off Li there.  She came into the tournament ranked #135 and jumped to the cusp of the top 100 at #105.  She was ranked #2 among players born in '95 in my lastest top 10 by birth year.
-Lauren Davis (USA) making the quarters in Hobart as a qualifier.  She was ranked #4 among players born in '93 - the year led by Stephens.
-Players reaching the quarters of a tournament in each of 2013's first two weeks were Ferrer, Istomin, Lacko, Monfils, Barthel, Flipkens, Kerber, Li, Niculescu, A.Radwanska, Stephens, and Vesnina.  Now we'll see if that means they will succeed in Melbourne or if they peaked to early.  Particularly I'm looking at Radwanska, Li, and Ferrer.

Bad Stories
-Jerzy Janowicz (POL) after all his deserved hype following his run to the Paris final, losing his first 2013 match to Baker.
-Radek Stepanek (CZE) struggling with injuries.  He pulled out of his first week tournament, then won a match in Sydney before granting Benneteau a walkover.
-Petra Kvitova (CZE) winning only 2 games in her opening round match against Cibulkova, making her 0-2 on the season.

WTA Premier: Sydney, Australia
1) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) def. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 6-0 6-0
-Radwanska wins 12th career title, 2nd of 2013, last '13 Auckland
Defending champion: Victoria Azarenka (BLR) - did not play this week
Quarterfinalists: 2) Angelique Kerber (GER)-SF, 3) Sara Errani (ITA), 4) Na Li (CHN)-SF, Roberta Vinci (ITA), Q) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), Q) Madison Keys (USA)
Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Radwanska, Li
Locals performance: 0-3 with losses by 6-Stosur, Dellacqua, and Rogowska
Americans performance: 2-3, besides Keys, Lepchenko and McHale lost their first round match
Other notable winners: All 4 qualifiers won first round matches (Keys, Kuznetsova, Morita, and Voskoboeva)
Third set tiebreaks: Vinci def. Jankovic (R2), Cibulkova def. Makarova (R2)

ATP 250: Sydney, Australia
Bernard Tomic (AUS) def. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-3 6-7(2) 6-3
-Tomic wins first career title
Defending champion: Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) - QF l. to Tomic
Quarterfinalists: 3) Andreas Seppi (ITA)-SF, 8) Marcel Granollers (ESP), Julien Benneteau (FRA)-SF, Jarkko Nieminen (FIN), Ryan Harrison (USA), Denis Istomin (UZB)
Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Benneteau, Istomin, Nieminen
Locals performance: 6-4, besides Tomic, Millman beat Robredo while Matosevic, Duckworth, and Ebden all lost.
American performance: 2-2, Harrison got 2 wins but one was over Isner, who subsequently pulled out of the Aussie Open.
Third set tiebreaks: Anderson def. Benneteau (SF), Istomin def. Duckworth (R1)

ATP 250: Auckland, New Zealand
1) David Ferrer (ESP) def. 2) Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6(5) 6-1
-Ferrer wins 19th career title, last '12 Paris - it is his 4th win in Auckland
Defending champion: Ferrer - defended title
Quarterfinalists: 3) Tommy Haas (GER), 4) Sam Querrey (USA)-SF, Xavier Malisse (BEL), Gael Monfils (FRA)-SF, Lukas Lacko (SVK), Q) Jesse Levine (CAN)
Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Ferrer, Kohlschreiber
Locals performance: 0-1, King-Turner l. to Levine
Americans performance: 4-2, SF for Querrey, one win for Baker
Other notable winners: Q) Greg Jones (AUS) upset seeded Melzer in round 1
Third set tiebreaks: none

WTA International: Hobart, Australia
Elena Vesnina (RUS) def. 9) Mona Barthel (GER) 6-3 6-4
-Vesnina wins first career title
Defending champion: Barthel - F l. to Vesnina
Quarterfinalists: 8) Sloane Stephens (USA)-SF, Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL), Monica Niculescu (ROU), Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)-SF, Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS), Q) Lauren Davis (USA)
Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Barthel, Gadjosova
Local performance: 2-3, besides Gajdosova, Barty and Bobusic lost their first round match
Americans performance: 5-2, Davis' loss was to Stephens
Third set tiebreaks: Peng def. Hsieh (R1), Flipkens def. Schiavone (R1), Davis def. Bobusic (R1),