Full entry list for Shenzhen not yet available but Laura is in line to be seeded 7th behind Na Li, Bartoli, Jankovic, Hsieh, Zakopalova and Shuai Peng (info from TF. I imagine they have access to the players' internal system). It looks like (not confirmed yet) the cut-off for Brisbane was too low for Heather or Laura to make it into the maindraw.
-- Edited by kundalini on Wednesday 21st of November 2012 07:58:19 PM
Just one withdrawal from being seeded, you'd have to think there must be a high possibility of that. Apart from Radwanska nobody too daunting.
Heather is 10th ranked, not 9th. Am I missing something?
As well as A-Rad, I'd hope to avoid Wickmayer, Goerges and Barthel, as they all made Heather very frustrated in defeats last year, and that sort of encounter wouldn't be the hoped for start to a new season.
Also, perhaps Heather & Marina will resume their indomitable doubles partnership here, as Marina seems back to fitness.
I thought the same about Kuznetsova lurking down there in the mid 70's, from just 13 tournaments. If you double her points total (roughly, 26 is about average for the events played by the top 100) then, assuming she had a consistent 'full' season, she'd be ranked about 20th, and still a nasty threat to anyone at Heather's level.
I must admit I was nearly going to say that you can't count 26 But actually, given like most players, Kuznetsova has a few really low scores, if you double her best 8 to a best 16 it doesn't make a heck of a difference, still would be ranked just outside the top 20 based on the current list.
Maybe more doubts about how fit she will be ( no activity for the second half of the year ) as opposed to any doubts about her ability ?