When the LPGA announced the change of format for their year-ending event one of the biggest questions was, who exactly would be qualifying at the end of the year. With limited field events closing out the 2011 LPGA schedule, it was an easy question to ask. With the end of the Mizuno Classic, we now also know the representatives for the Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

Of all the LPGA members in the field next week only Juli Inkster, Natalie Gulbis, and Beatriz Recari are the only ones not already qualified for the year ending event. The only way one of these three will not qualify for the event would be if one of the non-LPGA members (and sponsor exemptions) manage to win the event, and with the field being as elite as it is, I can't see any of that happening. Of the 9 alternate listed only Eun-Hee Ji (5), and Kristy McPhereson (9) are not qualified.

This is sweet vindication for Juli who had two top 10s earlier this year and missed out, when Grace Park qualified last week via her T24 finish in Korea. Interestingly enough Gulbis and Recari are both sponsor exemptions, and can thank them for two tournament exemptions.

Side note, unless I missed someone Momoko Ueda, Pornanong Phatlum, and Christina Kim all earned entry into the CME Titleholders from Mizuno.

My favorite part of January is just around the corner with the Men's and Women's Australian Open Qualifying tournaments getting underway. With the women's draw just released, here are my predictions as to who will qualify into the final 128.

(1)Yanina Wickmayer BEL v Yurika Sema JPN
Alexandra Panova RUS v Naomi Cavaday GBR
Marija Mirkovic AUS v Arina Rodionova RUS
Eva Hrdinova CZE v Lourdes Dominguez Lino ESP (22)

My Pick: (1)Yanina Wickmayer BEL Can anyone not pick a top 20 player to qualify? Miss Wickmayer, a 2009 U.S. Open semifinalist missed the AO deadline for entries as she was facing a one-year ban at the time. Now, the ban has been lifted, but unfortunately Wickmayer could only gain entry into the qualifying draw, as she did not recieve a wildcard into the maindraw. You may feel badly for Wickmayer for having to go through qualifying, but I would feel worse for the other 7 ladies in her section. Wickmayer will still need to bring her game though, Sema (2009 U.S. Open Qualifer), Cavaday (held match points on Martina Hingis at Wimbledon) and Dominguez Lino (former top 40/original cocaine fiend) can be dangerous.

Regina Kulikova RUS (2) v Lindsay Lee-Waters USA
Ksenia Palkina KGZ v Ryoko Fuda JPN
Lenka Wienerova SVK v Kurumi Nara JPN
Aniko Kapros HUN v Ksenia Pervak RUS (17)

My Pick: Ksenia Pervak RUS (17) Perkvak is an up-and-coming Russian you should keep an eye out for. She won the Australian Open juniors title last year, and is steadily improving. Fresh off her 20th birthday, this could very well be the last qualifying tournament Pervak plays in a very long time.

Shenay Perry USA (3) v Melanie South GBR
Ivana Lisjak CRO v Elena Chalova RUS
Misaki Doi JPN v Carly Gullickson USA
Shannon Golds AUS v Vesna Manasieva RUS (20)

My Pick: Vesna Manasieva RUS (20) Another 20 year old up-and-coming Russian should be able to get through this section of the draw. Shenay Perry with her strong end to 2009 should be a hurdle, but I expect the younger Russian to just get by.

Michelle Larcher De Brito POR (4) v Ekaterina Dzehalevich BLR
Jessica Moore AUS v Xinyun Han CHN
Margalita Chakhnashvili GEO v Oksana Kalashnikova GEO
Anastasia Pivovarova RUS v Chanelle Scheepers RSA (16)

My pick: Xinyun Han CHN Although Han hasn't done much outside of being the queen of Asian challengers, she played Flavia Pennetta tough in Beijing at the end of last year. If she can tune out the vocal decibels of Larcher De Brito, she may be able to breakthrough into her first MD of a slam.

Maria Elena Camerin ITA (5) v Zuzana Ondraskova CZE
Anna Lapushchenkova RUS v Heidi El Tabakh CAN
Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP v Madison Brengle USA
Viktorija Rajicic AUS v Renata Voracova CZE (14)

My Pick: Heidi El Tabakh CAN The naturalized Canadian citizens El Tabakh was in blazing form to open 2010, upsetting former top 100 players Pin & Krajicek before retiring while up against Voskoboeva. If she is healthy expect her to shine in this section full of veterans. If not Llagostera Vives might be able to outlast the others.

Arantxa Rus NED (6) v Kristina Antoniychuk UKR
Anna Floris ITA v Ashling Sumner AUS
Eloisa Compostizo De Andres ESP v Katalin Marosi HUN
Sofia Arvidsson SWE v Marta Domachowska POL (24)

My Pick: Marta Domachowska POL (24) In what could be the weakest section of the draw, I'd say the opener between Arvidsson and Domachowska to determine the winner. The other players overall are a bit useless.

Angelique Kerber GER (7) v Rebecca Marino CAN
Alexandra Stevenson USA v Andrea Hlavackova CZE
Laura Robson GBR v Sophie Ferguson AUS
Claire Feuerstein FRA v Michaella Krajicek NED (18)

My Pick: Angelique Kerber GER (7) It's certainly an interesting section featuring players coming back from injuries like Krajicek and the perpetually injured Stevenson. Kerber, who is inches from the top 100 could rise above, but don't be shocked if youngster Laura Robson rides the Hopman Cup wave into the main draw.

Yvonne Meusburger AUT (8) v Julia Cohen USA
Neuza Silva POR v Eleni Daniilidou GRE
Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA v Julia Vakulenko UKR
Severine Beltrame FRA v Sharon Fichman CAN (13)

My Pick: Julia Vakulenko UKR When Vakulenko is on, she can be scary good. She had to do some rebuilding through 2009, but looks to ascend into the top 100 once again. In a section chock full of veterans, I think this 26 year old will rise above.

Mariya Koryttseva UKR (9) v Olga Savchuk UKR
Yuliana Fedak UKR v Silvia Soler Espinosa ESP
Corinna Dentoni ITA v Yulia Fedossova FRA
Kristina Mladenovic FRA v Mathilde Johansson FRA (15)

My Pick: Kristina Mladenovic FRA With three French players snubbed for the French wildcard (which was given to Stephanie Cohen-Aloro), I bet all of them are looking to prove to the French Tennis Federation that they deserved that spot. Mladenovic is the #1 junior in the world and has one of the biggest serves in the game. She took Patty Schydner to three sets in Melbourne last year.

Darya Kustova BLR (10) v Zuzana Kucova SVK
Nina Bratchikova RUS v Tomoko Yonemura JPN
Elena Bovina RUS v Sally Peers AUS
Shuai Zhang CHN v Julia Schruff GER (19)

My Pick: Shuai Zhang CHN Perhaps a better pick for a Chinese qualifier then Han, Zhang defeated then world #1 Dinara Safina in Beijing last year (after defeating Iveta Benesova the round previous). Zhang went through slump through 2008/2009, but looks ready to qualify for her second grand slam main draw after the 2008 US Open.

Masa Zec Peskiric SLO (11) v Rika Fujiwara JPN
Junri Namigata JPN v Ekaterina Ivanova RUS
Nikola Hofmanova AUT v Monique Adamczak AUS
Camille Pin FRA v Valerie Tetreault CAN (21)

My Pick: Ekaterina Ivanova RUS Ivanova brought good form to Australia in 2010 qualifying for Brisbane and losing in three sets to Daniela Hantuchova in the opening round. I expect her to breeze by this group, if Fujiwara's junkball and moonballs don't throw her off in the second round.

Kathrin Woerle GER (12) v Anna Tatishvili GEO
Stephanie Foretz FRA v Simona Halep ROU
Monika Wejnert AUS v Bojana Jovanovski SRB
Lauren Albanese USA v Lilia Osterloh USA (23)

My Pick: Bojana Jovanovski SRB Bojana is another Serbian player on the rise showing great challenger results at the end of 2009 and one good start in China to begin 2010. She should qualify without many problems.

The 2010 WTA Tour season will get underway this week with tournaments in Auckland, New Zealand & Brisbane, Australia. To read my preview of the Brisbane International head over to natural gut is love.

While the Brisbane International may have the anticipated return of Justine Henin, the field over in Auckland is nothing to sneeze at. Yanina Wickamayer is another Belgian who made news this fall, and will be making her return to the WTA after being temporarily banned for not reporting her whereabouts to a Belgian doping authority. Her ban has been lifted, and she has been given a WC into Auckland. Wickamayer, a surprise semifinalist at the US Open in September, will play dangerous German Julie Georges in round 1.

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