Beijing Quarterfinals

China has been kinder to the seeds than Japan as the quarterfinals are set for the final women's Tier I event of the year.  At least, that is, if your name is not Azarenka.  Seven of the top 9 seeds remain in the draw (four in Tokyo) and only one unseeded player (also four in Tokyo).  In addition, players who had success in Tokyo have also managed success here as five of the last eight there are again still standing in the quarters in Beijing.  And I mentioned Kerber as having a boatload of points to defend.  Well, she has defending them all, plus went one round better in Tokyo and could do more damage still in Beijing.  Of the three remaining players who did not reach the quarters in Tokyo, two of them (Serena and Li) did not play there, which leaves only Jankovic, and all she did was double bagel Suarez Navarro in the third round.  So we could have an exciting weekend of tennis in Asia, if you're willing to stay up late and watch it.  Here are the last eight:

Here are the remaining eight women:
1) Serena Williams (USA)
3) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
4) Na Li (CHN)
6) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
7) Angelique Kerber (GER)
8) Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
9) Petra Kvitova (CZE)
Lucie Safarova (CZE)

-There are remaining quarterfinalists from 2012:  Li, Radwanska, and Kerber.  The others were Sharapova, Bartoli, and Oprandi who did not play (all for different reasons - injury, retirement, poor ranking), Suarez Navarro who was one match away, and Azarenka who went crashing out to Petkovic in the first round.
-Radwanska, Wozniacki, Kerber, Kvitova, and Safarova were all still around at this stage in Tokyo.
-Radwanska and Kerber have now made the quarters of the last 4 Asian tournaments, and remember Radwanska won both events in 2011 so her string goes back even farther.  The others vying for inclusion in this paragraph - Sharapova and Azarenka - won one match between them.
-Serena, Li, Wozniacki, and Kerber have yet to lose a set though Serena was tested by Kirilenko (winning 7-5 7-5)
-Only four unseeded players reached the round of 16:  Safarova, Petkovic, Kirilenko, and Hercog at the expense of Stosur, Azarenka, Halep, and Ivanovic.

Currently Kerber leads Jankovic by only 95 points in the race for no. 8 so each additional match they play in Beijing is gigantic.  Wozniacki trails Kerber by 264 points.  Errani is likely safe but she has put her position in jeopardy with a poor Asian swing, though she did at least get to the round of 16 in Beijing, losing to Kvitova.

As it has been for the most of the season, this is Serena's tournament to lose, though she has looked vulnerable at times.  I actually think someone may pick her off, either Kerber in the semis or Li in the final.  Li seems to play well at this event in her homeland, I'll going to take her to win this title, but she'll need to get past to Tokyo champ next.

This has also been an encouraging tournament for the Americans as they went an undefeated 6-0 in round 1 with wins for Serena, Stephens, Venus, Keys, Lepchenko, and q-Davis.  However, only Serena and Stephens would win again with the latter winning just 4 games against Wozniacki.  So it is 9-5 record to this point with Serena still in the draw.

Quarterfinal matches:
-Serena vs Wozniacki
-Radwanska vs Kerber
-Li vs Kvitova
-Jankovic vs Safarova

I will also give a brief rundown of the 500s on the men's side.

Beijing
1) Djokovic vs Querrey
3) Ferrer vs 5) Gasquet
4) Berdych vs 8) Isner
2) Nadal vs Fognini

Tokyo
1) Del Potro vs Dolgopolov
4) Nishikori vs 6) Almagro
3) Raonic vs Lacko
Nieminen vs Dodig

The seeds have done well in the men's events so far, especially the top 10 players in contention for the World Tour Finals.  Some blockbuster quarterfinals in Beijing with Ferrer/Gasquet and Berdych/Isner though Djokovic and Nadal really remain on a collision course.  It is nice to see Isner and Querrey both still alive too, Querrey had to upset Wawrinka to get there.  Nadal is generally vulnerable in the fall, but will he be this year?  I think someone will get to him here either Djokovic in the final or Isner in the semis.  I think Djokovic will win the tournament.  In Tokyo, I like Del Potro to beat Raonic in the final, the Canadian no. 1 has been busy since the US Open, playing Davis Cup and then winning Bangkok lost week.