Elena Baltacha needs to win this tournament to make the Australian Open main draw, but that will be a tall order given the presence of local top 20 star Caroline Wozniacki. In qualifying, we have interest in 3 sections, with the most interesting pairing being Sarah with her doubles partner Courtney:
(2)Tatjana Malek (GER) v Helene Auensen (NOR) Maria Christensen (DEN) v (wc)Maria Jespersen (DEN) Julia Paetow (GER) v Lucy Warburton (GBR) Alina Tseplukhova (RUS) v (6)Pauline Wong (NED)
(3)Lenka Jurikova (SVK) v (wc)Emma Henriksen (DEN) Thale Myhre (NOR) v Adla Mahic (SWE) Hanna Nooni (SWE) v Irene Santos-Bravo (ESP) Mai Grage (DEN) v (5)Anna Smith (GBR)
(4)Sarah Borwell (GBR) v Courtney Nagle (USA) (wc)Trine Bassett (DEN) v (wc)Sandra Roma (SWE) Ellen Allgurin (SWE) v Charlene Vanneste (FRA) (wc)Victoria Rode-Bager (DEN) v (7)Dia Evtimova (BUL)
A good start. Sarah and Anna will be favourites to win their second matches as well, but Lucy requires a big upset
QR1:
(2)Tatjana Malek (GER) d. Helene Auensen (NOR) 63 62 (wc)Maria Jespersen (DEN) d. Maria Christensen (DEN) 36 61 62 Lucy Warburton (GBR) d. Julia Paetow (GER) 63 64 (6)Pauline Wong (NED) d. Alina Tseplukhova (RUS) 60 62
(3)Lenka Jurikova (SVK) d. (wc)Emma Henriksen (DEN) 61 60 Thale Myhre (NOR) d. Adla Mahic (SWE) 62 76(5) Irene Santos-Bravo (ESP) d. Hanna Nooni (SWE) 76(3) 36 63 (5)Anna Smith (GBR) d. Mai Grage (DEN) 75 61
(4)Sarah Borwell (GBR) d. Courtney Nagle (USA) 62 63 (wc)Trine Bassett (DEN) d. (wc)Sandra Roma (SWE) wo. Charlene Vanneste (FRA) d. Ellen Allgurin (SWE) 62 61 (7)Dia Evtimova (BUL) d. (wc)Victoria Rode-Bager (DEN) 61 61
(3)Lenka Jurikova (SVK) d. (5)Anna Smith (GBR) 61 64 (4)Sarah Borwell (GBR) d. (7)Dia Evtimova (BUL) 60 62
MD with qualifiers and LLs (nothing for Anna unfortunately who was the only one of the 8 in the FQR to miss out)
(7)Lucie Hradecka (CZE) v Elena Baltacha (GBR) Mervana Jugic-Salkic (BIH) v Nikola Frankova (CZE) (wc)Malou Ejdesgaard (DEN) v (LL)Jasmina Tinjic (CRO) (4)Angelique Kerber (GER) v (Q)Sarah Borwell (GBR)
Bally can do Mel a favour here by removing one of Mel's competitors for an AO main draw spot. Hradecka has not been in great form lately (and lost to Amanda earlier in the year), so Bally should have a good chance.
In fact the draw is very good for Mel, as a number of players who could have overtaken Mel's current points tally by reaching the final have all withdrawn or ended up in the top half, with world number 12 Caroline Wozniacki. As a result Mel is guaranteed to be 116 at worst on Dec 8, and that has been good enough for the AO twice in recent years.
Good effort from Sarah, but the doubles tomorrow is more important. Bally is on at 11am and is down on www.bwin.com as one of the betting matches, and if today is anything to go by that will mean livescores are available via that site.