Sydney, Hobart: Will the real Goerges please stand up?

Sydney:

Roberta Vinci vs Nadia Petrova
Na Li vs Christina McHale
Jie Zheng vs Samantha Stosur
Karolina Pliskova vs Sara Errani
Casey Dellacqua vs Kimiko Date-Krumm
Lucie Safarova vs Madison Keys
Ayumi Morita vs Daniela Hantuchova
Tamira Paszek vs Jelena Jankovic
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs Julia Goerges
Galina Voskoboeva vs Yanina Wickmayer

Hobart:

Jarmila GAJDOSOVA vs. Romina OPRANDI
Chanelle SCHEEPERS vs. Alize CORNET
Tsvetana PIRONKOVA vs. Irina-Camelia BEGU
Lauren DAVIS vs. Bojana BOBUSIC
Silvia SOLER-ESPINOSA vs. Elena VESNINA
Lara ARRUABARRENA-VECINO vs. Simona HALEP
Nina BRATCHIKOVA vs. Sorana CIRSTEA
Monica NICULESCU vs. Mandy MINELLA
Su-Wei HSIEH vs. Shuai PENG
Lourdes DOMINGUEZ LINO vs. Yaroslava SHVEDOVA
Kirsten FLIPKENS vs. Francesca SCHIAVONE
Ashleigh BARTY vs. Mona BARTHEL

Match focus:

Svetlana Kuznetsova vs Julia Goerges

Svetlana Kuznetsova had to qualify for this event and she already has 3 matches under her belt her in Sydney. She faces the ever volatile Julia Goerges who was disappointing in Auckland. Is Kuznetsova ready to stage her comeback? These 2 players does play a similar game with heavy forehands and serves. However, Kuznetsova does possess a better backhand and will be able to overpower Julia should they get into a backhand crosscourt battle. I think Kuznetsova should be match ready by now and Julia needs to be at her absolute best to overcome the Russian.

Pick: Kuznetsova in 2 tight sets

Roberta Vinci vs Nadia Petrova

Nadia Petrova started her Australian campaign one week later than most players and she faces Roberta Vinci in her first round. Nadia dropped her coach during the off season, not too sure why as the partnership brought her to her highest ranking in a while. Will this change affect her? Or will she still be too good for Vinci, who lost to Jarmila Gajdosova last week? I believe Nadia will carry over her confidence from last season and best the Italian, but Vinci will not go down without a fight.

Pick: Petrova in 2 tight sets

Kirsten FLIPKENS vs. Francesca SCHIAVONE

Francesca Schiavone got thrashed by someone who was almost half her age in Hopman Cup last week. In terms of form, there is none to speak of for the Italian. Flipkens disappointed with her whiny ways in Auckland last week but had been picking up her game for the past half a year. She has to game to trouble Schiavone, if she doesn't get too whiny and distracted on court. Schiavone will fight as usual, but I feel that the end of the road is near for her.

Pick: Flipkens in 2 tight sets

Sure win bets: Daniela Hantuchova, Sara Errani, Peng Shuai

Upset alerts: Francesca Schiavone, Julia Goerges, Lucie Safarova