Maria Kirilenko news

Amelie Mauresmo may still be the biggest star in women's tennis in France, but she is no longer the brightest. She who inspired so many in her homeland is now ranked behind Marion Bartoli and Alize Cornet at No. 23 in the world, entering what may be her last season with more modest expectations but an enduring resolve.

An exhausted Amelie Mauresmo had to ask how many match points she failed to convert after finally completing her version of 'The Great Escape' at the Brisbane International.

The answer was four, all in a spine-tingling 24-point final set tiebreak on Wednesday against French compatriot Julie Coin, a qualifying lucky loser.

It took her nearly three-and-a-quarter hours, but fifth seed Amélie Mauresmo kept her title hopes alive at the Brisbane International on Wednesday, saving three match points against compatriot Julie Coin along the way. Her opponent in the last eight will be top seed Ana Ivanovic, who also flirted with disaster in the evening session before suppressing Roberta Vinci.

For Sam Stosur it was the beginning of a new dawn and it could not have broken more impressively as the Queenslander delivered a commanding statement in her first showing at the Brisbane International yesterday.

Once considered something of a doubles specialist, Stosur has signalled her intention to make 2009 the year in which she creates some serious waves in the world of singles.

The first Women's Tennis Association rankings of 2009 showed on Monday an unchanged top 10 still dominated by Russian players.

Serbia's Jelena Jankovic tops the weekly list, followed by Serena Williams of the United States, but then Russian women take six of the next nine slots. Dinara Safina is third and Elena Dementieva fourth, followed by Vera Zvonareva in seventh, Svetlana Kuznetsova eighth and Maria Sharapova ninth.

Nadia Petrova is still knocking on the door of the top 10 in eleventh spot.

Three seeded players were bounced from the Brisbane International on Monday, with Daniela Hantuchova the highest to fall. Amélie Mauresmo, the fifth seed, was pushed to the limit by a resurgent Jelena Dokic but survived in two tie-breaks, while a string of qualifiers also scored wins over higher-ranked opponents.

Hometown hero Samantha Stosur has breezed through the second round of the Brisbane International with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win over Ai Sugiyama.

Stosur will go down as the first Australian to be victorious on Pat Rafter Arena, making short work of her Japanese opponent who was a replacement for Russian Maria Kirilenko who withdrew earlier in the week.

The Queenslander says it is a great start to the year.

Brisbane International top seed Ana Ivanovic will make her eagerly anticipated debut on Pat Rafter Arena tomorrow night for the first night session ever at the Queensland Tennis Centre.

The crowd favourite will meet Czech Petra Kvitova in the first-round clash, which will be followed by Spain’s Davis Cup hero Fernando Verdasco against talented Queensland teenager Bernard Tomic, making his ATP debut.

The seeds went 2-1 on the first day's play at the inaugural Brisbane International, with Victoria Azarenka and Marion Bartoli conceding just five games between them, but Kaia Kanepi falling at the first hurdle. There was also mixed news for Australian fans: Slovak-born, Melbourne-based Jarmila Gajdosova advanced, but 16-year-old Brisbane schoolgirl Monika Wejnert succumbed to Bartoli.

Seventh-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko has withdrawn from the Brisbane International due to illness, postponing the start of the first round of the inaugural tournament.

World No. 29 Kirilenko was due to kick off the tournament with a centre court match against Queenslander Sam Stosur to christen the 5500-seat Pat Rafter Arena.

But tournament organisers were told shortly before the scheduled start on Sunday morning the Russian had pulled out with an illness.

The draw for the Brisbane International was held today in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall in front of a buzzing throng of tennis fans.

Assisted by former world No.1 Amelie Mauresmo and Spanish Davis Cup hero Fernando Verdasco, representatives from the WTA and ATP Tours shaped the make-up of the inaugural Brisbane International.

By chance both Mauresmo and Verdasco were drawn to play Australian foes. Mauresmo will face the re-building Dokic, while Verdasco will meet 16-year-old wildcard recipient Bernard Tomic in what will be a keenly watched match.

Four years in the making, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's Roadmap gets rolling in fine style on January 4, with the sparkling new Queensland Tennis Centre hosting the inaugural Brisbane International. Befitting the occasion, the starry line-up that has assembled includes two former singles world No.1s and the current undisputed queens of doubles, as well as a clutch of Aussies undoubtedly keen to make a mark on home turf.

Seventh-seeded Richard Gasquet of France recovered to beat countryman Marc Gicquel 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday in the first round of the Brisbane International tennis tournament.

The joint ATP-WTA tournament is being played for the first time at the new Queensland Tennis Centre.

In other men’s matches, American Taylor Dent beat Steve Darcis of Belgium 7-6 (0), 6-2 and will play Gasquet in the second round.

Ana Ivanovic says she has unfinished business in Australia, starting with Monday night's first assignment at the Brisbane International.

Ivanovic, runner-up in last year's Australian Open, yesterday drew Czech left-hander Petra Kvitova in the first round at the Queensland Tennis Centre and should have few problems with the world No.59.

But there are bigger challenges ahead, such as avenging last year's Australian Open final loss to Maria Sharapova.

Local hero Samantha Stosur will be first on court for the 2009 Brisbane International.

Queensland and Australia’s highest ranked tennis player has been given top billing for the first day of play, opening the tournament on Pat Rafter Arena against Russian world No.29 Maria Kirilenko.

Stosur, currently ranked 52, continues to climb up the rankings on her way back from an illness-enforced lay-off. She is ready to start her 2009 campaign.