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Sacha Jones Returns To Wellington To Open Day One Of Configue Express Pro Tournament

Monday 27 February 2012, 4:59PM

By Dave Worsley

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WELLINGTON CITY

Former Kiwi tennis No1 Sacha Jones will start her campaign for a title on New Zealand soil tomorrow (Tuesday) when she takes to the court in the US$25,000 Configure Express Pro Challenger event at the Renouf Tennis Centre in Wellington.

Despite now playing for Australia the second seed and 228th ranked Jones is the highest seed to take the court tomorrow. The 21- year-old hasn’t won an international professional title in New Zealand, although she has claimed around half a dozen overseas at this prize money level.

Jones faces 17-year-old Riko Sawayangi of Japan who is ranked at 606 in the world. In reality Jones has a great draw through to the quarters where she would be expected to take on a Chinese player ranked at just over 300 and then be seeded to face in the semi-finals Russian Arina Rodionova who is 268th and has been in good form over the past few weeks.

Other matches of interest on the first day include Waikato player Luci Barlow who came through qualifying and will face Japan’s Makoto Ninomiya in the first round. Fifteen-year-old wildcard Claudia Williams from Auckland faces Israel’s Keren Shlomo who is ranked at 416.

The tournament top seed teenager Chanel Simmonds (South Africa) who is ranked at 196, was a top 15 ranked junior two years ago and has nine professional tournament titles will play her first match on Wednesday while top Kiwi junior Emily Fanning is also on court for her singles on Wednesday.

There is also a full round of doubles which features Kiwis such as wildcards Fanning and Di Hollands, Williams and Barlow as well as Wellington locals Bridgett Liddell and Saravinder Pannu.

The tournament runs until Sunday 4 March.

Tuesday 28 February Order of Play US$25,00 Configure Express Pro

Court 1:

11am start

Singles first round:

(6)Yue-Yue Hu(China) v Julia Moriarty(IRL),

Followed by

(2)Sacha Jones(Australia) v Riko Sawayanagi(Japan),

f.b

doubles first round:

Nives Baric/Rebecca Leahy(Australia) v Mia Middleton(New Zealand)/Breanna Tilly(Australia) ,

f.b

Ying-Ying Duan/Yue-Yue Hu(China) v (3)Sacha Jones(Australia)/Keren Shlomo(Israel).

Court 2:

11am start

WC Claudia Williams(New Zealand) v Keren Shlomo(Israel),

f.b

Makoto Ninomiya(Japan) v(Q) Luci Barlow(New Zealand),

f.b

Emily Fanning/Dianne Hollands(New Zealand) v (2)Anna Fitzpatrick(United Kingdom)/Chanel Simmonds(Sth Africa)

f.b

Bridget Liddell/Saravinder Pannu(New Zealand) v Luci Barlow/Claudia Williams(New Zealand).

Court 4:

11am start

Singles first round:

Moves Baric(Australia) v Miyu Kato(Japan)

f.b

(8)Ying-Ying Duan(China) v Miyu Kato(Japan)

f.b

Sung-Hee Han(Korea)/Yurina Koshina(Japan) v Bucike Gitbasju/Angelique Svinos(Australia)

f.b

Stephanie Bengson(Australia)/Sandra Zaniewska(Poland) v Nicola Geuer/Sina Haas(Germany)

Court 6:

11am start:

Singles first round:

Angelique Svinos(Australia) v Mary-Ann Balint(Australia)

f.b

Nina Catovic(Australia) v (5)Sadra Zaniewska(Poland)

f.b

Miyu Kato/Risa Ozaki(Japan) v Mai Minokoshi(Japan)/Julia Moriarty(Ireland)

f.b

Makoto Ninomiya/Riko Sawayangi(Japan) v Monique Adamczak/Alexandra Cannizzaro(Australia).