The ATP event in Chennai this week has got some big hitters in it this week. Milos Raonic won a titanic tussle with Janko Tipsarevic in one of the games of the year last year but with Raonic not playing this year we will have a new champion. The WTA event in China this week doesn't have a strong field with many of the players ranked well outside the top twenty but there are some names in there to consider.
In Chennai the top seed is Tomas Berdych and he will see this as a great chance to gain some form and confidence ahead of the Aussie Open. Tipsarevic beat Murray last week in Abu Dhabi but then lost to Nicolas Almagro. He has a decent draw and should make the semi finals where I would expect him to meet Stan Wawrinka. I think Tipsy will be in better shape than Wawrinka at this stage of the season and I would expect him to reach another final in India. Marin Cilic has dropped away from the top ten massively after looking like banging down the door a few years back. A good start to the year would boost his confidence and might be exactly what he needs to get a good run going. I think he will be a semi finalist but I don't see him beating Berdych.
Although you can never just disregard a result I don't think Berdych's loss to Ferrer last week will be critical because Ferrer is somebody he always struggles with. The conditions were tough to play in that week and I expect him to be much better this week and I think that the 11/10 is a good price for him to take the title this week.
In Shenzhen, Na Li is the clear favourite in her home country. Laura Robson has already lost and I don't think Marion Bartoli is going to beat her. Peng Shuai is a possibility and she normally does play well against the big players but again, I just don't see it happening. It's a shame Jelena Jankovic pulled out because she is somebody who could disrupt the favourites. I'd expect a Bartoli-Li final and Li should come through to start the year in style.
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