The 2016 season has begun and some players have picked up right where they left off, winning; unfortunately, some have also continued their trend from the latter part of the 2015 season, and that’s not such a good thing for them. However, it is still early and there is plenty of time to change their direction.

BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

[CR28] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) finally turned the table on [CR15] Gilles Simon (FRA) and defeated him 6-3, 7-6(10) for his first time in five tries.

[CR69] Dennis Kudla (USA) defeated [CR129] John-Patrick Smith (AUS) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The young up and coming Korean, [CR51] Hyeon Chung, defeated [CR60] Sam Groth (AUS) 7-6(8), 6-4.

[CR28] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) finally defeated [CR12] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI).  It was a rather easy 6-2, 6-1 victory for the Russian, who had lost their previous two matches.

Nice victory for [CR43] Alizé Cornet (FRA), who got the better of her countrywoman [CR29] Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 6-4.

QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN

[CR1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) has picked up right where he left off.  He defeated [CR118] Dustin Brown (GER) 6-2, 6-2.  No one expected Djokovic to lose, and he did not disappoint; however, that was not the case for the two other higher ranked players when they met with their opponent for the first time today.

[CR17] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) fell short to fellow countryman [CR75] Daniel Munoz De La Nava 6-3, 6-7(4), 5-7, despite numerous opportunities to come away with the victory.

The young Brit, [CR102] Kyle Edmund, notched a nice victory when he defeated [CR43] Martin Klizan (SVK) 6-2, 6-3.

 

AIRCEL CHENNAI OPEN

[CR44] Borna Coric (CRO) continues his dominance of [CR84] Marcel Granollers (ESP).  He defeated him 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4.

 

SHENZHEN OPEN

[CR97] Alison Riske (USA) got her season off to a winning start when she defeated [CR58] Annika Beck (GER) 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-2.  The American is hoping to turn things around this season after a dismal end to last season.

 

ASB CLASSIC, NEW ZEALAND

American Sloane Stephens, currently ranked 30, also got off to a winning start.  She defeated [CR73] Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-3, 6-3 and will look to build on this going forward.

 

MATCHES TO WATCH

Steve Johnson (USA) vs. Viktor Troicki (SRB)

Vasek Pospisil (CAN) vs. Aljaz Bedene (GBR)

Dominic Thiem (AUT) vs. James Duckworth (AUS)

Simona Halep (ROU) vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR)

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP), this is not an easy opponent for Nadal; however, he got some practice in today on the doubles court and despite losing the match, he should be ready for Carreno Busta