Which men are playing at the 2014 ATP tournaments at Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland? This article lists who is playing where, plus a review of how these players performed in 2013.
2014 Summer of Tennis
There are three ATP tournaments in Australia and New Zealand leading up to the 2014 Australian Open.
- Brisbane International
- Apia International
- Heineken International
Brisbane International presented by Suncorp
Tournament Information
- Location: Brisbane, Australia
- Dates: 29 December 2013 – 4 January 2014
- 2013 Champion: Andy Murray d Grigor Dimitrov 7-6, 6-4
- ATP 250 Tournament
- Prize money US$452,670
- 28 players singles draw
- Official website
Roger Federer at the 2013 Australian Open
Current player line-up at the 2014 Brisbane International (current ATP world ranking)
- Roger Federer (6) SUI
- Robin Haase (12) NED
- Kei Nishikori (17) JPN
- Gilles Simon (19) FRA
- Kevin Anderson (20) RSA
- Grigor Dimitrov (23) BUL
- Feliciano Lopez (28) ESP
- Dmitry Tursunov (29) RUS
- Jeremy Chardy (34) FRA
- Julien Benneteau (35) FRA
- Marin Cilic (37) CRO
- Jarkko Nieminen (39) FIN
- Denis Istomin (45) UZB
- Sam Querrey (46) USA
- Nicolas Mahut (50) FRA
- Adrian Mannarino (59) FRA
- Lleyton Hewitt (60) AUS
- Marinko Matosevic (61) AUS
- Matt Ebden (68) AUS
- Igor Sijsling (70) NED
- James Duckworth (136) AUS
- Nick Kyrgios (182) AUS
Selective review of players’ 2013 and their performance at the 2013 Brisbane International.
Top 10 Players
Roger Federer (6)
- 2014 will be Federer’s debut at the Brisbane International. With Andy Murray not defending his Brisbane International title Federer will be the favourite to win.
- By Federer’s standards 2013 was unsuccessful, winning only one title at the Halle Open, and making two other finals in Basel and Rome.
- Making the semi-finals at the Australian Open, losing to Andy Murray in five sets, was Federer’s best performance at a Grand Slam in 2013.
Top 30 Players
Kei Nishikori (17)
- 2013 was a decent year for Nishikori, climbing two places in the year end rankings. Nishikori won one title, Memphis, defeating Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 6-3 in the final. Nishikori finished 2013 with a 36-19 win-loss record.
- At the 2013 Brisbane International Nishikori progressed to the semi-finals where he was defeated by Andy Murray.
Gilles Simon (19)
- Simon had a win-loss record of 36-24 in 2013 winning one tournament at Metz.
- Marcos Baghdatis defeated Simon at the quarterfinal stage of the 2013 Brisbane International.
Kevin Anderson (20)
- Anderson rose 17 places during 2013 from his 2012 year end ranking.
- In 2013 Anderson reached three finals at Sydney (defeated by Bernard Tomic), Casablanca (defeated by Tommy Robredo) and Atlanta (defeated by John Isner).
- Anderson’s win-loss record for 2013 was 37-23.
- Anderson didn’t play at the 2013 Brisbane International.
Grigor Dimitrov (23)
- During 2013 Dimitrov jumped 25 places in the world rankings.
- Dimitrov made his first ATP final at the 2013 Brisbane International. Later in 2013 Dimitrov claimed his first title winning at Stockholm.
- Dimitrov’s win-loss record for 2013 was 37-23.
Feliciano Lopez (28)
- Lopez won one title at Eastbourne and made the final at Memphis.
- Lopez had a 29-20 record for 2013, climbing 12 places in the rankings during the year.
- Lopex didn’t play at the 2013 Brisbane International.
Australians
Can the home crowd help the Aussies in the draw make it to the final or even win?
Lleyton Hewitt signing autographs at the AAMI Classic in 2013
Lleyton Hewitt (60)
- Hewitt was defeated in the second round of the 2013 Brisbane International by Denis Istomin 7-5, 7-5.
- Having climbed 22 places in 2013 with a win-loss record of 24-18, Hewitt will be keen to progress further at the 2014 Brisbane International. We’d love to see a match-up against Federer.
Marinko Matosevic (61)
- In 2014 Matosevic will seek to improve on his first round defeat to Kei Nishikori at last year’s Brisbane International.
- Matosevic had a 18-25 win loss record in 2013, dropping 12 places from his 2012 final ranking inside the top 50.
Matt Ebden (68)
- Ebden had a solid 2013 rising 35 places in the rankings.
- Ebden won the 2013 Mixed Doubles at the Australian Open partnering Jarmila Gajdosova.
- At the 2013 Brisbane International Ebden lost to David Goffin in the first round.
James Duckworth (136)
- Having finished 2012 ranked 210 Duckworth climbed 74 places in 2013.
- At the 2013 Brisbane International Duckworth lost in the second round of qualifying.
Nick Kyrgios (182)
- Winner of the 2013 Australian Boys title. Kyrgios will seek to make steady progress as he steps up to the top tier of men’s tennis.
Apia International Sydney
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- Dates: 6 – 11 January 2014
- 2013 Champion: Bernard Tomic d Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-7, 6-3
- ATP 250 Tournament
- Prize money US$452,670
- 28 players singles draw
- Official website
Del Potro at the US Open in 2012
Current player line-up at the 2014 APIA International (current ATP world ranking)
- Juan Martin del Potro (5) ARG
- Nicolas Almagro (13) ESP
- Fabio Fognini (16) ITA – Withdrawn
- Jerzy Janowicz (21) POL
- Andreas Seppi (25) ITA
- Dmitry Tursunov (29) RUS
- Vasek Pospisil (32) CAN
- Julien Benneteau (35) FRA
- Marin Cilic (37) CRO
- Marcel Granollers (38) ESP
- Jarkko Nieminen (39) FIN
- Florian Mayer (40) GER
- Carlos Berlocq (41) ARG
- Radek Stepanek (44) CZE
- Denis Istomin (45) UZB
- Sam Querrey (46) USA
- Lukas Rosol (47) CZE
- Pablo Andujar (48) ESP
- Joao Sousa (49) POR
- Bernard Tomic (51) AUS
Selective review of players’ 2013 and their performance at the 2013 Apia International.
Top 25 Players
Juan Martin Del Potro (5)
- Del Potro won four titles Basel, Tokyo, Washington and Rotterdam, while making the final at Shanghai and Indian Wells.
- Del Potro had a 51-16 win-loss record in 2013 and rose two places in the rankings during the year.
- Wimbledon was Del Potro’s best performance at the 2013 Grand Slams where Novak Djokovic defeated him in the semi-final 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3.
- Del Potro didn’t play at the 2013 Apia International.
Nicolas Almagro (13)
- In 2013 Almagro made the final at Barcelona and Houston. 2013 was the first year since 2005 where Almagro hasn’t won at least one ATP title.
- Almagro had a 42-23 win-loss record in 2013.
- Alamgro didn’t play at the 2013 Apia International.
Fabio Fognini (16) – Withdrawn
- 2013 was a great year for Fognini jumping from a 2012 year end ranking of 45 to inside the top 20.
- Fognini won two titles, Hamburg and Stuttgart, and made the final at Umag. All of these tournaments were played on clay.
- Fognini was defeated in the second round of the 2013 Apia International by Marcel Granollers.
Jerzy Janowicz (21)
- Janowicz consolidated his position in the rankings in 2013 rising 5 places from his 2012 year end finish.
- Janowicz didn’t make any finals in 2013, but made the semi-final at Wimbledon losing to Andy Murray 6-7, 6-4, 6-4,6-3.
- Janowicz didn’t play at the 2013 Apia International.
Andreas Seppi (25)
- Seppi’s best performances in 2013 were making the semi-finals at Eastbourne and Umag.
- At the 2013 Apia International Seppi was defeated in the semi-finals by Bernard Tomic.
One to watch
Vasek Pospisil (32)
- 2013 was a great year for Pospisil rising almost 100 places in the rankings from 127 at the end of 2012.
- The highlight ofPospisil’s year was making the semi-final of the Masters 1000 event at Montreal, where he was defeated by Milos Raonic. Pospisil also made it to the semifinals at Bogota and Basel.
- Pospisil didn’t play at the 2013 Apia International.
Australians
Bernard Tomic (51)
- 2013 started spectacularly for Tomic winning his maiden ATP final at the 2013 Apia International.
- The remainder of 2013 proved to be less successful for Tomic where he lost more than ten times in the first round of tournaments. Grass court events tended to be an exception where Tomic made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and Eastbourne.
- Can Tomic defend his title and start 2014 with a bang?
Heineken Open
- Location: Auckland, New Zealand
- Dates: 6 – 11 January 2014
- 2013 Champion: David Ferrer d Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6, 6-1
- ATP 250 Tournament
- Prize money US$455,190
- 28 players singles draw
- Official website
Ferrer at the French Open in 2012
Current player line-up at the 2014 Heineken Open (current ATP world ranking)
- David Ferrer (3) ESP
- Tommy Haas (12) GER
- John Isner (14) USA
- Tommy Robredo (18) ESP
- Kevin Anderson (20) RSA
- Philipp Kohlschreiber (22) GER
- Benoit Paire (26) FRA
- Gael Monfils (31) FRA
- Robin Haase (43) NED
- Daniel Brands (54) GER
- Federico Delbonis (55) ARG
- Horacio Zeballos (56) ARG
- Roberto Bautista-Agut (58) ESP
- Adrian Mannarino (59) FRA
- Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (62) ESP
- Albert Montanes (63) ESP
- Pablo Carreno Busta (64) ESP
- Yen-Hsun Lu (65) TPE
- Marcos Baghdatis (87) CYP
- Brian Baker (360) USA
Selective review of players’ 2013 and their performanceand their performance at the 2013 Heineken Open.
Top 25 Players
David Ferrer (3)
- Ferrer is a four times champion at Auckland, winning the last three years and in 2007.
- Ferrer reached a career high ranking of 3 in 2013 winning two titles, Buenos Aires being the second after the Heineken Open.
- At the 2013 French Open Ferrer reached his first Grand Slam final, losing to Rafael Nadal.
Tommy Haas (12)
- 2013 was a good year for Haas climbing from 21 to 12 in the rankings.
- Haas won two tournaments at Munich and Vienna, he also made the final at San Jose.
- Gael Monfils defeated Haas in the quarter-finals at the 2013 Heineken Open.
John Isner (14)
- Isner finished 2013 in the same position he started the year ranked 14.
- Isner won two titles at Atlanta and Houston and made two other finals at Cincinnati and Washington.
- Isner didn’t play at the 2013 Heineken Open.
Tommy Robredo (18)
- Robredo finished 2012 ranked 115 after two years of being affected by injuries. Victories at Cassablanca and Umag and reaching the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and the US Open contributed to the climb of 97 places in the rankings.
- Robredo was named 2013 Spanish tennis player of the year by the Spanish Tennis Writers Association.
- Robredo didn’t play at the 2013 Heineken Open.
Kevin Anderson (20)
- See Anderson’s entry under Brisbane International above.
- Anderson did not play at the 2013 Heineken Open.
Players to watch
Benoit Paire (26)
- 2013 was a decent year for Paire rising from 47 to 26 in the rankings.
- Paire made the final at Montpellier losing to Gasquet and several semi-finals including at Rome where he was defeated by Federer.
- Yen-Hsun Lu defeated Paire in the first round the 2013 Heineken Open.
Gael Monfils (31)
- Injuries over the last two years have seen Monfils drop in the rankings from a career high of 7 (July 2011) to a low of 119 (May 2013).
- Monfils made two finals in 2013 at Winston-Salem and Nice.
- At the 2013 Heineken Open Monfils was defeated in the semi-final by eventual champion David Ferrer.
Pablo Carreno Busta (64)
- Named most improved player of 2013 by the Spanish Tennis Writers Association Carreno Busta rose an impressive 590 places from 654 at the end of 2012.
- Carreno Busta mainly played Challenger and Futures tournaments in 2013, however he did reach the semi-finals at the ATP 250 event at Oeiras, losing to Stanislas Wawrinka.
Non-ATP Mens Tennis
In addition to the ATP tournaments there is also the Hopman Cup a mixed team ITF event held in Perth. Read more about the 2014 Hopman Cup player line-up here.
Roger Federer is hosting a night with Roger Federer and Friends on 8 January 2014 at Rod Laver Arena. Currently Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is one of the Friends who has been confirmed. We’ll be there so watch for pics on the blog once the event has been held.
Until next time
Grand Slam Gal