Tennis: Pe'er confident ahead of season's first Grand Slam

"There's always an excitement ahead of any tournament, but especially ahead of a Grand Slam," says Pe'er.

By ALLON SINAI
peer 298.88 (photo credit: AP)
peer 298.88
(photo credit: AP)
Shahar Pe'er said on Saturday that she's looking forward to the start of the Australian Open on Monday morning and that despite not being familiar with her first round opponent she's confident of progressing in the year's first Grand Slam. "There's always an excitement ahead of any tournament, but especially ahead of a Grand Slam," said Pe'er who is ranked 17 in the world. She faces Renata Voracova (107) on Monday. "I don't know anything about the player I'm supposed to play, but I've asked about her. I'm preparing myself for a tough match and I hope to play well and win. My warm-up events went well and I feel good with my new coaches Gabriel Urpi and Conchita Martinez. I'm taking one match at a time and I'm not looking to far ahead. Every round will be tough and I hope I'll improve with every match." Harel Levy (160) joined Dudi Sela (66) in the men's main draw on Saturday, after defeating American Scoville Jenkins 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the third and final qualifying round. Levy, who defeated Noam Okun in the second qualifying round, will face Italian Andreas Seppi (48) in the first round on Monday. Sela plays Austrian qualifier Martin Slanar (277) in the first round. Tzipi Obziler (81) faces 11th seed Elena Dementieva on Monday and will have to record the biggest win of her career if she's to advance to the second round. Evgenia Linetskaya (584), who reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2005 as a Russian, will play Luxembourg's Anne Kremer in the first round in what will be her first appearance on tour as an Israeli.