Tennis - January 13, 2019

Yonex Gears Up for AO2019

MELBOURNE, Australia —The first Grand Slam of the year kicks off Down Under at the Australian Open with the bottom half of the men's and women's draw taking the court on Monday.

Former Australian Open Champion and world No. 2 Angelique Kerber (GER) will begin her quest for her fourth major as one of the tournament’s favorites. Kerber, who has used the VCORE series since its inception, will debut the VCORE in Galaxy Black in her first round match.

Steve Johnson (USA) and Frances Tiafoe (USA) round out the action on day one. Johnson will look to win his fourth straight match over Andrea Seppi, while Tiafoe will look to capture his second-career win at the Australian Open when he takes on qualifier Prajnesh Gunneswaran.

On Tuesday, Australia’s own Nick Kyrgios (AUS) will play Milos Raonic in a blockbuster matchup. The pair has split their previous six meetings, with Kyrgios winning three of the last four matches. The winner of that match will await the winner of 2016 Australian Open Champion Stan Wawrinka (SUI) and Ernests Gulbis.

Coached by Sascha Bajin, Naomi Osaka (JPN) secured a top-four seed at a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. Coming off her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open, the 21-year-old will look to carry her momentum from last year into Melbourne.

Team Yonex’s light purple and pale yellow tournament wear will be on full display in the first round. 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Monica Puig (PUR) and next gen star Hubert Hurkacz (POL) will join Wawrinka (SUI) and Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) as head-to-toe Yonex players in the Melbourne Collection.

Team Yonex and the rest of the field will be assisted by the Yonex Stringing Team - the Official Stringing Team of the Australian Open - over the course of the tournament. The Yonex Stringing Team is an international team of experts dedicated to providing the world standard of racquet stringing.

#TeamYonex in Melbourne

Women
Dayana Yastremska (UKR) - VCORE PRO 100 / POLYTOUR FIRE 125
Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) - VCORE 100
Tatjiana Maria (GER) - VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR FIRE 120 / Melbourne Collection / ECLIPSION2
[Q] Varvara Lepchenko (USA) - VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR SPIN 125
[4] Naomi Osaka (JPN) - EZONE 98 / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125
Tamara Zidansek (SLO) - VCORE 98 / POLYTOUR PRO 125
Daria Gavrilova (AUS) - EZONE 100 / POLYTOUR PRO 125
Stefanie Voegele (SUI) -VCORE 98 / POLYTOUR FIRE 125
Whitney Osuigwe (USA) - EZONE 98 / POLYTOUR PRO 125
[13] Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) - EZONE 98 / POLYTOUR PRO 125 / Melbourne Collection / ECLIPSION2
Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) - VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR PRO 1255 & POLYTOUR FIRE 125
[Q] Viktorija Golubic (SUI) - VCORE 98
Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) - EZONE 98 / POLYTOUR PRO 125
Belinda Bencic (SUI) - EZONE 100 / POLYTOUR PRO 125
[Q] Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) - EZONE 98 / POLYTOUR PRO 120
[Q] Harriet Dart (GBR) - VCORE SV 100 / POLYTOUR PRO 125 & REXIS 130
Timea Babos (HUN) - VCORE 98
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) - EZONE 100 / POLYTOUR AIR 125
Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) - VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR TOUGH 125/ Melbourne Collection / SONICAGE
Monica Puig (PUR) - VCORE 98 / Melbourne Collection / FUSIONREV3
[19] Caroline Garcia (FRA) - VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125
[29] Donna Vekic (CRO) - VCORE 100
[2] Angelique Kerber (GER) - VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR FIRE 120