Maria Kirilenko to feature in the Apia International
Sydney 2013 – Tennis News
World number 14, Maria Kirilenko, will feature in the next edition of the Apia International Sydney that is scheduled to commence on the 6th January, 2013. The tournament will take place at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis
Centre and provide an opportunity to the entire squad of players to warm-up before the start of the Australian Open.
Taking a look back at the appearances in Sydney, Kirilenko doesn’t possess a favourable memory from the three tours she made in 2006, 2009 and 2012. She lost in the second round of the tournament at her debut and couldn’t cross
the initial stage on her return trip, last year. She contested in the qualifying round of the tournament this year but failed to dispatch an inferior ranked Sofia Arvidsson in the second qualie.
Hence, it will be her first priority to make sure that she leaves the hard courts of Sydney with an improved set of results. She is in a very good run of form in both singles and doubles category. However, she faced several injury
issues in the last few tournaments in 2012 which left a bit of concern for her towards the end.
Last time, the Russian blonde was witnessed in action was in November at Sofia. She was contesting in the Tournament of Champions and won her first Round Robin contest before being dispatched by the fellow compatriot and doubles
partner, Nadia Petrova, in the second Round Rubber. She didn’t take part in the final contest due to upper respiratory illness.
It was a terrible loss to the organizing committee who named the 25-year-old Russian as the first wildcard entrant and wanted her to stay for a bit longer time. It would have helped them to raise the competitive bar of the event
along with some increased viewership.
Kirilenko retired in the opening round of Hansol Korea Open in Seoul due to same type of illness. She failed to register a victory at the China Open and survived two stages at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow before facing an exit at
the hands of an inferior ranked Arvidsson.
Let’s see if she can regroup and begin the new season at a high-note.
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