Stats Corner: Hobart & Sydney Champs In Melbourne
Published January 19, 2012 05:43
MELBOURNE, Australia - The WTA's Hobart and Sydney events are played the week before the Australian Open, giving players an opportunity to prepare for the year's first Grand Slam. 2012 Hobart champion Mona Barthel has carried her momentum to Melbourne, where she coincidentally will take on Sydney champion Victoria Azarenka in the third round. How have all the Hobart and Sydney titlists done at the Australian Open since Hobart's inception in 1994?
| Year | Hobart Champ | AO Result | Sydney Champ | AO Result |
| '94 | Mana Endo | 2r | Kimiko Date-Krumm | SF |
| '95 | Leila Meskhi | 1r | Gabriela Sabatini | 1r |
| '96 | Julie Halard-Decugis | 3r | Monica Seles | Champ |
| '97 | Dominique Monami | QF | Martina Hingis | Champ |
| '98 | Patty Schnyder | 4r | Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario | QF |
| '99 | Chanda Rubin | 4r | Lindsay Davenport | SF |
| '00 | Kim Clijsters | 1r | Amélie Mauresmo | 2r |
| '01 | Rita Grande | 4r | Martina Hingis | R-Up |
| '02 | Martina Sucha | 4r | Martina Hingis | R-Up |
| '03 | Alicia Molik | 1r | Kim Clijsters | SF |
| '04 | Amy Frazier | 3r | Justine Henin | Champ |
| '05 | Zheng Jie | 1r | Alicia Molik | QF |
| '06 | Michaella Krajicek | 3r | Justine Henin | R-Up |
| '07 | Anna Chakvetadze | QF | Kim Clijsters | SF |
| '08 | Eleni Daniilidou | 1r | Justine Henin | QF |
| '09 | Petra Kvitova | 1r | Elena Dementieva | SF |
| '10 | Alona Bondarenko | 4r | Elena Dementieva | 2r |
| '11 | Jarmila Gajdosova | 1r | Li Na | R-Up |
| '12 | Mona Barthel | ? | Victoria Azarenka | ? |
Notes: Barthel has won 10 straight matches, including three qualifying wins in Hobart ... In addition to the players mentioned in the above table, two other times the Sydney winner has gone on to win the Australian Open the following fortnight - Margaret Court in 1969 and Martina Navratilova in 1985.
