Hobart and Sydney represent the two warm up events just before the Australian Open.
Sam Stosur will prepare the first slam in Hobart where she is seeded no.1. The other big star of the tournament is former world no.1 (now unseeded) Venus Williams that has just reached the final in Auckland.
After Stosur the next seeds are Flipkens (world no.20), the defending champion Elena Vesnina (no.25), Pavlyuchenkova (26), Pennetta (31), Barthel (34), Zakopalova (35) and Jovanovsky (36).
Venus Williams will have an early clash in the first round against Flavia Pennetta that is still struggling with her wrist. The big question mark is also on Venus’ fitness as she has just ended a successful week in Auckland (she lost in the final to Ana Ivanovic).
Stosur will also have an important test as in the last few years she has always struggled to go beyond the second round on every tournament on the home soil.
Click here for the draft and some more info about the Hobart International
