Hong Kong Tennis Classic

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The Hong Kong Tennis Classic (formerly known as the JB Group Classic and the Watsons Water Champions Challenge) is a women's exhibition tennis tournament held (with temporary stands) in Victoria Park, Hong Kong, in the first week of January. It is a warm-up tournament for the Australian Open.

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Formerly, the tournament was played under a more traditional format, with 8 players invited to participate, who would play against each other in a round robin format (with two groups of 4 players), with the top two players from each group progressing to the final. However, in 2009, the tournament switched to a group format, with four Zonal groups of three players; Team Americas, Team Asia-Pacific, Team Europe and Team Russia. Two teams play against each other in a semifinal, with three singles ties (amongst the three players) and 1 doubles tie. The two winning teams progress to the Gold Group final, playing for 1st and 2nd, whilst the losing teams progress to the Silver Group final, playing off for 3rd and 4th.

Past finals

YearChampionRunner-upScore
2011 Team Russia
Flag of Russia.svg Vera Zvonareva
Flag of Russia.svg Maria Kirilenko
Flag of Russia.svg Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Team Europe
Flag of Denmark.svg Caroline Wozniacki
Flag of France.svg Aravane Rezaï
Flag of Sweden.svg Stefan Edberg
3–1 (4 ties played)
2010 Team Russia
Flag of Russia.svg Maria Sharapova
Flag of Russia.svg Vera Zvonareva
Flag of Russia.svg Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Team Europe
Flag of Denmark.svg Caroline Wozniacki
Flag of Belarus.svg Victoria Azarenka
Flag of Sweden.svg Stefan Edberg
2–1 (3 ties played)
2009 Team Americas
Flag of the United States.svg Venus Williams
Flag of Argentina.svg Gisela Dulko
Flag of the United States.svg Coco Vandeweghe
Team Russia
Flag of Russia.svg Vera Zvonareva
Flag of Russia.svg Anna Chakvetadze
Flag of Russia.svg Alexandra Panova
3–1 (4 ties played)
2008 Flag of the United States.svg Venus Williams Flag of Russia.svg Maria Sharapova 6–4, 6–3
2007 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Kim Clijsters Flag of Russia.svg Maria Sharapova 6–3, 7–6(10–8)
2006 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Kim Clijsters Flag of the United States.svg Lindsay Davenport 6–3, 7–5
2005 Flag of Russia.svg Elena Dementieva Flag of the United States.svg Venus Williams 6–3, 6–2
2004 Flag of the United States.svg Venus Williams Flag of Russia.svg Maria Sharapova 7–5, 6–3
2003 Flag of the United States.svg Monica Seles Flag of the United States.svg Chanda Rubin 5–7, 6–1, 6–2
2002 Flag of the United States.svg Jennifer Capriati Flag of Russia.svg Elena Dementieva 1–6, 6–4, 6–4
2001 Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (1992-2006).svg Jelena Dokić Flag of Russia.svg Anna Kournikova 7–6(7–3), 6–3
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Jennifer Capriati Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Martina Hingis 7–6, 4–6, 6–3
1999 Flag of the United States.svg Venus Williams Flag of Germany.svg Steffi Graf 2–2 retired

See also

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