So Dokic got a WC, maybe a real match between her and Daniela this time?

The Draw's out, and its not looking too bad:

(1)Ana Ivanovic v Petra Kvitova
Q v Ai Sugiyama
Q v Yanina Wickmayer
(wc)Jelena Dokic v (5)Amelie Mauresmo

(3)Marion Bartoli v (wc)Monika Wejnert
Q v Alona Bondarenko
Tathiana Garbin v Sofia Arvidsson
Alisa Kleybanova v (6)Kaia Kanepi

(8)Francesca Schiavone v Olga Govortsova
Iveta Benesova v Q
Tsvetana Pironkova v Monica Niculescu
Sara Errani v (4)Daniela Hantuchova

(7)Maria Kirilenko v Samantha Stosur
(wc)Isabella Holland v Lucie Safarova
Shuai Peng v Jarmila Gajdosova
Kateryna Bondarenko v (2)Victoria Azarenka

On the whole, it's a fairly good draw. Schiavone was definitely the weakest of the 5-8 seeds and she's in the weaker half of the draw. The downside is that Errani is one of the better unseeded players (fifth highest ranked among unseeded). Daniela defeated her in her comeback match at Wimbledon, which was one of the few highlights of the second half of the year.

I'm quite happy with this draw. First two rounds shouldn't be a real problem I think.

Hopefully a good start into the new season. Would be really important to get a good result at the beginning of the year to get some confidence for the AO.

really important daniela going after here and sydney in ao with high confidence

happy new year and my best wishes to everyone and daniela for a successfull 2009

I like that she is back with Ai. Ai is a fun person. And such a person is always good to have around. In addition, I've read somewhere that Ai wants to focus on singles as well this year (don't know why), so as far as I have undestood, they play what they believe is good for their singles career and if some tournaments happen to be on both schedules, they'll team up.

I don't understand why you would prefer Kirilenko to Schiavone. Kirilenko is for some reason tricky for Danka. They always have close matches, and lately, Makiri seems to be winning.

Daniela's first tournament of the year and a chance to gain confidence and points before the Australian Open. Daniela can beat anyone there but there are enough players there that can give her problems, so this will be a good guide to her form and confidence. Hopefully, she gets a decent draw and goes to Sydney and Melbourne with momentum and some good wins.

Precisely what sort of confidence can be gained by a 25 yo player in a split field international? Is she (a player described as a 'veteran') so unstable there is fear she may colapse quicker than you can say 'wobble'? Points may be of use. Not "getting out" may help. The utilization of the off-season may could be a revelation. After all, the presence on a court is what makes a "tennis player".

This is entirely IMO, OK? This is not her first time around. If you had actually watched the matches of the post-Wimbledon season, you would notice that she hits balls out deliberately. While this is not a violation of the rules, it sure is a shoddy tactic. In fact deliberately loosing should be a glaring signal that her tennis-game is not what shakes the confidence, or anything else for that matter -- what is confi going to buy you anyhow? (other than another ego trip -- first/second season was better than the last -- lovely friends BTW) Maybe she'll play on acting like it doesn't bother her now. Well good for her.

SO, I respectfully disagree with your analysis. You might choose to reevaluate prior matches. If you can offer me any explanation, I am interested. For I myself do not understand what I see. Perhaps my eyes deceive me, perhaps my brain or even mine own arrogance. Maybe I'm just the stupidest person of the lot. I do remember that I was objectionable to this but there are a number of people with contrarian advice. So now what? Think it'll work?

Put it all together and I see heart-strings being pulled in every direction (let go AH, nice friends). Here is a really good chance to stop feeling guilty about anything but time. Lovely practice I hear though, excellent forethought. After Luxemberg I had thought I'd seen the last of this. New day rising. hmm.

The straight game was working. Everything was fine. She was almost there. Why she would go and make the thing crooked, I don't know. Until she fixes it, nothing will be done. I don't see crown-queen-crooked-head going anywhere fast.