2009 AEGON International
Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, England | 13-20 June
2009 NEWS | 2009 FEATURES | 2009 RESULTS | 2009 ROUND-UP
2009 video gallery
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Play list 2 | Play list 3 |
2009 daily news
| singles news | dates | go to individual news pages |
|---|---|---|
| monday | 15 June |
click here for monday news |
| tuesday | 16 June | click
here for tuesday news |
| wednesday | 17 June | click here for wednesday news |
| thursday | 18 June | click here for thursday news |
| friday | 19 June | click here for friday news |
| saturday | 20 June | click here for saturday news |
Pre-tournament 2009 news
2009 AEGON
International | 13-20
June
Ailing Ivanovic doubles up
Ana Ivanovic (pictured) is set to make her maiden appearance at Devonshire Park this year in both the singles and the doubles.
The Serbian star has been given a wildcard into the
Eastbourne doubles draw and will
partner German Sabine Lisicki, ranked 180th in doubles.
Ivanovic
is currently unranked at doubles as she has only played once at doubles
on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour since the 2008 campaign. But the
21-year-old once reached a career-high doubles ranking of
no50 in
September 2006, after
played tournaments with Russian Maria Kirilenko.
And Ivanovic
slipped out of world's top 10 to no13 following her tame fourth round
exit as a defending champion at Roland Garros.
She skipped the 2008
Eastbourne
event due to a combination of
injury and exhaustion following her French Open victory that propelled
her to world no1.
But has long been touted as a future Wimbledon champion because Ivanovic's game is suited to grass. And she surprised even herself with a grand slam success on the clay courts of Roland Garros in 2008.
Ivanovic's best finish at Wimbledon has been a semi-final spot, although if she can capture the 2009 AEGON International at Devonshire Park will be a force to reckoned with at SW19. And having appointed a new coach, the popular player has looked sharper, fitter, stronger and more confident.
"I'm looking forward to playing in Eastbourne, it's a very peaceful setting. It looks like the perfect place to prepare for Wimbledon," smiled Ivanovic. "It's also a chance to win a prestigious title, I know that the tournament has great history."
But not all the top players opt for further match practice so close to Wimbledon, particularly as the clay court season has only just ended and Birmingham's Priory Club takes place the week before Eastbourne.
CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT SONY ERICSSON WTA
TOUR RANKINGS
Magnificent seven sign up
2009 AEGON International | 13-20 June
Entrants
for the 2009 AEGON
International were initially revealed with seven talents boasting an
excellent pedigree and each have a real chance of winning the
tournament.
Three teenagers, two Russians and two Serbians are pencilled in to play at Devonshire Park this year.
Polish ace Agnieszka Radwanska makes it a hat-trick of appearances at Eastbourne and defends her 2008 crown. Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki are the other teenagers to enter, and have recently climbed into the world's top 10 with seven Sony Ericsson WTA Tour titles between them since their Devonshire Park debuts.
The formidable Russian duo of Elena Dementieva (pictured) and Vera Zvonareva are due to return to Eastbourne. Both have been in red-hot form, regularly collecting 2009 singles titles on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour but fluffed their chances at Devonshire Park last year to make early exits. Zvonareva was named in May 2009 as a 'Promoter of Gender Equality' by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to became the fifth ambassador of the United Nations.
Serbia's popular pair of Ana
Ivanovic and Jelena
Jankovic (pictured left) are also planning to play at
Eastbourne.
Beauty Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open champion, only missed making her debut at Devonshire Park because of her sensational exploits at capturing the grand slam in Paris beforehand.
While Jankovic, who made a dismal star to the year, is back to her best with confidence much higher after winning the inaugural Andalucia Tennis Experience in Marbella, Spain.
I'm looking forward to playing in Eastbourne. It looks like the perfect place to prepare for Wimbledon
- Ana Ivanovic
NEW | 2009 blog
Click here for ladies tennis blog
with eastbournetennis.com
2009 entrant details
Find
out who entered the 2009 AEGON International, what their recent form is
like and what they look like.
CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR RANKINGS
2009 preview news
Radwanska
defends | Agnieszka Radwanska, the 2008 International Open champion will be trying to retain her crown. The Polish ace was a shock winner, despite being the no4 seed, and eased into the final against Nadia Petrova. Radwanska's Devonshire Park debut in 2007 saw her thrashed by eventual winner Justine Henin.
Top
Brits in draw
| Anne
Keothavong, the British No1 who this year broke into the world's top
50, has been given a wildcard into the main draw. This will be the
fifth time that the 26-year-old had made the first round and said:
“It’s a perfect place to get matches before Wimbledon.” Her compatriot
Elena Baltacha has also been granted a wildcard and the 25-year-old
said: “Eastbourne's my favourite tournament and I’m playing well enough
to maybe rattle a few players.”
Dokic
misses qualifying
| Jelena Dokic
was spotted by eastbournetennis.com
practising at Devonshire Park on Tuesday and Friday before the
tournament. But the
26-year-old Australian, who retired injured at the French Open and
missed Birmingham's event because of the back injury, has not entered
the
qualifying rounds at singles at Eastbourne's 2009 AEGON International.
French
Open champ returns | Svetlana Kuznetsova will be back as
one of the
four seeds to get an automatic bye in the opening round at Eastbourne
after being given a wildcard. The solid Russian has not got a terrific
record record at Wimbledon, having not got further than the
quarter-finals in six attempts. And as top seed at 2008 Eastbourne
was
toppled by Caroline
Wozniacki at the first hurdle. But the 23-year-old
is brimming with confidence after claiming her second grand slam title
in Paris following the 2004 US Open triumph and said: "I like
Eastbourne and I’m looking forward to playing on the grass."
Ivanovic
set for debut
| Ana Ivanovic, the former world no1, is
due to make her first ever appearance at the Eastbourne event - in the
singles and doubles. The
Serbian ace was due to compete at Devonshire Park last
year, but finished as French Open champion so skipped the
tournament because of a combination of exhaustion and injury. But this
year Ivanovic is aiming to play and called Eastbourne
"very peaceful". She added: “It looks like the perfect place to prepare
for Wimbledon, I know that the
tournament has great history."
Top 10 teenagers
to take part | Belarussian
Victoria Azarenka and great
Dane Caroline
Wozniacki (pictured left) are planning to return to
Eastbourne after
making their debuts at the 2008
International Open. But they will be back much stronger than
last year as they are now in the world's top 10 and have bagged seven
titles between them since playing in the 2008 event.
Jankovic's
joy of
sets | Jelena Jankovic started had a torrid
start
to the year, ousted in her first
showing in back-to-back events after playing long-fought matches. Her
season finally got moving in the right direction when the Serbian
captured the Andalucia Tennis Experience in Spain. The former world no1
was able to go to Marbella early after her shock exit at Miami, and by
relaxing for a few days seemed to do the trick.
Red-hot Russians | The
formidable Russian pair of Elena
Dementieva and Vera
Zvonareva (pictured left) are set to return to Eastbourne.
Both have failed to make much of an impression on Devonshire
Park's Centre Court so far. But this season, having hit
red-hot form with numerous titles between them,
they are expected to be fully prepared and both are strong candidates
to win the 2009 AEGON International.
Cavendish
confirm top stars booked
| With rumours rippling around
Eastbourne town centre that a number of the world's top 10 players have
provisionally booked into a
first-class hotel for the AEGON International, Ashley
Proctor, manager of the seafront
Cavendish hotel, revealed: "We've already got all the top players
staying here for the
tournament so I don't want any Tom, Dick and Harry staying, otherwise
I'll have to sort out more security!"
2009 features
We
have a range of features, ranging from
a look at rising star Laura Robson, the 2008
Eastbourne champion Agnieszka Radwanska
as well as reviews
of where
to sit on centre court, the big sleep hotel and
a lifeplus phone.
Home from home
Looking
for a luxurious home from home experience during the tennis? Exclusive
bespoke packages and/or weekly accommodation is now available at
centralised Hartington Place.
Situated a stone's throw from Eastbourne's seafront, town centre and Devonshire Park, the 14 opulents apartments can be rented on a bespoke or weekly basis.
These
spacious apartments - complete with sea views - are set within four
white-washed stucco-fronted Grade II-listed buildings and have been
given a contemporary twist with all mod cons and a lift directly to the
three-, two- and one-bedroom apartments.
These are the perfect settings for Eastbourne's tennis event and as a base during Wimbledon. Limited availability but ideal for tennis players, their entourage and fans. Full review coming soon.
Contact Sarah on +44 (0)788.9265.955 to discuss your exact requirements.