Australian Open SEEDING and Matchups INFO for Kim, Justine, Andy, Agassi, etc.

[Hantuchova Fan]

The top seed from the United States, Roddick opens the first Grand Slam event of the season against Chile's Fernando Gonzalez, a formidable foe who is 34th in the ATP Entry rankings. This first round encounter is unlucky for Roddick because Gonzalez's 34th world ranking barely keeps him from being seeded at this grand slam and Gonzalez got to the 4th round last year. Should Roddick progress to the second-round, his likely opponent is No.27 seed and fellow American Taylor Dent. Other seeded players like Ferrero will face qualifers ranked outside the top 100.

In last year's quarterfinals, Roddick outlasted El Aynaoui in a match that lasted nearly five hours, winning the fifth set, 21-19. The decisive set alone took 2 hours, 23 minutes. This year, El Aynaoui will most likely be Roddick's 3rd round matchup instead of the quarterfinals.

Andre Agassi will most likely face Roddick in the semifinals, meaning that at least one of these two top-ranked Americans will not win the Australian Open.

Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, the top women's seed, opens against fifteen year old Australian wildcard Olivia Lukaszewicz who is ranked 947 in the world. Henin-Hardenne is seeking her third Grand Slam title in four tries, having won last year's French Open and U.S. Open.

Henin-Hardenne could meet fifth-seeded American Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals. Davenport, the 2000 champion, opens with Ruxandra Dragomir Ilie of Romania.

Also in the first round, second seed Kim Clijsters of Belgium meets Marlene Weingartner, who took out defending champion Jennifer Capriati last year. Another upset could be staged. Third seed Venus Williams battles fellow American Ashley Harkleroad and fourth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France takes on Chia-Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei.

Justine Henin-Hardenne and Lindsay Davenport are two of the favourites for Australian Open 2004 but have beel slated for a quarter-final meeting following Friday morning's draw. Henin-Hardenne is the world No.1 and the top seed, while Davenport, the 2000 champion, is the only player in the field to have won the title at Melbourne Park.

This is the seeding for women at this year's AO:

1. Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL)
2. Kim Clijsters (BEL)
3. Venus Williams (USA)
4. Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
5. Lindsay Davenport (USA)
6. Anastasia Myskina (RUS)
7. Elena Dementieva (RUS)
8. Ai Sugiyama (JPN)
9. Chanda Rubin (USA)
10. Nadia Petrova (RUS)
11. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)
12. Paola Suarez (ARG)
13. Conchita Martinez (ESP)
14. Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi (ISR)
15. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)
16. Magui Serna (ESP)
17. Meghann Shaughnessy (USA)
18. Francesca Schiavone (ITA)
19. Eleni Daniilidou (GRE)
20. Silvia Farina Elia (ITA)
21. Elena Bovina (RUS)
22. Patty Schnyder (SUI)
23. Lina Krasnoroutskaya (RUS)
24. Magdalena Maleeva (BUL)
25. Lisa Raymond (USA)
26. Tina Pisnik (SLO)
27. Amanda Coetzer (RSA)
28. Maria Sharapova (RUS)
29. Nathalie Dechy (FRA)
30. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
31. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA)
32. Fabiola Zuluaga (COL)

[Hantuchova Fan]

More good news for Justine Henin-Hardenne

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the Adidas International semifinals Friday because of an injured right arm, casting doubt over her status for next week's Australian Open.

Davenport is Justine's potential quarterfinals opponent for the AUSTRALIAN OPEN and now she may not even play. If Davenport does play she has to play with the arm injury. If it heals, it may still be weak and she could aggravate the injury furthur during intense matchups in the AUSSIE Open.

[1jackson2001]

That sucks for Lindsay. I still don't consider Justine the favorite though. I think Venus is. ;)

[glamour-gal]

thanx for posting!!! :D

[muffins]

Ugh. Gonzalez? Why? I hope Andy's not heading for an early exit but Fernando is a good player, a dangerous floater. I hope I get to see some of the Australian Open in the week. I can't get away with staying up all night, I'm 18 and getting on now hehe!

[Hantuchova Fan]

Originally posted by muffins
Ugh. Gonzalez? Why? I hope Andy's not heading for an early exit but Fernando is a good player, a dangerous floater. I hope I get to see some of the Australian Open in the week. I can't get away with staying up all night, I'm 18 and getting on now hehe!

omg I thought the same thing! I am always amazed at Andy's bad luck when it comes to first round opponents in grand slams. BTW what do you mean by "I'm 18 and getting on now hehe!" Are you trying to say that you are a slut? I don't understand certain English expressions sometimes.................

HOLLA HOLLA

[muffins]

LOL, no. It means I'm getting old!