[ChrisCologne]

1 Russia: Dementiewa/Andreev (singles: 4/30 ; 34 in total)
2 Australia: Stosur/Hewitt (singles: 15/32 ; 47 in total)
3 Germany: Lisicki/Kohlschreiber (singles: 25/24 ; 49 in total)
4 UK: Robson/Murray (singles: 2/...)

Last time there were

Chinese Taipeh (qualified)
France
Italy
Germany
USA
Sloviak Republic

added to those two.

Who do we expect to return? A qualifier, yes, which leaves open 5 spots and I am quite interested in knowing who will come.

My guess is that (1) USA could send a future team like Querry/Oudin to get some practice, would be a surprise but possible, (2) Clijsters with Vliegen and Rochus to ease her adjustment to Australian courts, (3) Belarusse with rising Azarenka and Mirnyi for doubles, (4) Radwanska with one of the rising doubles players of Poland, and I definetly do expect Germany´s Lisicki to return after last year´s experience. I see Petzschner joining her though (5). I do not expect either France or Italy to return.

[ChrisCologne]

New development for my own post:

Sabine Lisicki is to return to Perth Following her exit from the US Open, German no2 Philip Kohlschreiber confirmed that he cared for his compatriot also due to the fact he´s scheduled to play with her for the Homan cup

[Joe.]

wouldnt it be great if great britain played

[Play_Suspended]

^^5 live have just said on the BBC USO live text that they've heard mutterings that Andy and Laura will be playing Hopman Cup next year! Please let that be true

[ChrisCologne]

It would be nice if they would add the 3rd and 4th Grand Slam nation and let Melanie Oudin team with Blake or Roddick. But I doubt Roddick will ever play this.

My guess is that I´m right about the Poland Belgium or Belarusse perspective. I think the girls are far more interested in playing here than the boys and as each of the named girls would draw crowds (Kim - for certain reasons, being there with Lleyton ; the others for being top10) she could be easily combined with the doubles finesse of their partners. Don´t forget Poland has huge doubles potential right now, same as Max M. from Belarusse.

[lauraa00]

Spain or Czech republic?

[améliemomo]

dont think france will play it (hopefully)

[ChrisCologne]

Me either. Cornet is too weak these days and was an attraction last year

So far

Australia, Russia, Germany and UK/Great Britain are set

[ChrisCologne]

Possible teams would be:

Serbia (I seriously doubt): Djokovic/Jankovic (3/5)
Spain: Verdasco/Medina (10/21)
Argentina: Del Potro/Dulko (6/40) - I´d love that
France: Tsongo/Mauresmo (7/17) - I´d love that
Czech: Berdych/Safarova - again (18/48)
Austria: Melzer/Bammer (38/29)
Poland
Italy
Belgium
Slovak Repulic

Out of these 10 nations, there are 3 to determine. My tips are: Spain, Poland and Argentina. Due to Verdasco/Del Potro and Radwandska.

[matthias]

Poland would be a newcomer, or?

Hopman cup likes to have new nations added to the list
so it is possible imo

[ChrisCologne]

Poland has a number of ATP doubles specialists. That might work just to present Radwanska.

[Fantastic]

What about Israel? Dudi Sela and Shahar Peer? Sela is at an all-time rankings high and Peer has been a guiding light for Israeli tennis.

I'd like to see Murray and Robson, mainly for Laura not Andy.

Not sold on Kohlschreiber. Would prefer Tommy Haas with Sabine Lisicki. I know they like new names, but the name "Kohlschreiber" is anything but attractive lol.

Would also have preferred to see Dmitry Tursunov with Elena Dementieva instead of Igor Andreev. Mainly because Tursunov is more of a "star" than Andreev, having been a past champion as well.

Kazakhstan now have Andrey Golubev and Yaroslava Shvedova, so I'd like to see them pulled out of the Asian Hopman Cup and given a berth straight into the main event.

France with Tsonga and Mauresmo would be huge. Both very popular and blessed with athleticism and flair. Would attract a good crowd. But Mauresmo has semi-final Brisbane points to defend. In that case, forget Bartoli as she has Brisbane finals points to defend. That leaves Virginie Razzano. Eek.

Without a James Blake or a Serena Williams signed on, the US may not even make it to the Hopman Cup this year. If it's not the both of them, then it may well be one of them with either Sam Querrey or Melanie Oudin.

Canada, maybe? Aleksandra Wozniak and Frank Dancevic. Sounds good. Both young.

Serbia hasn't set the world on fire like it did last year, so I don't expect to see them back. Without Novak Djokovic and either Jelena Jankovic or Ana Ivanovic, there's no point anyway. Also, it sounds like Elena Dementieva and Andy Murray are the headlining acts for next year.

Such a shame that Slovak Republic can't come back to defend their title as Dominika Cibulkova really went from strength to strength after her Hopman debut. Dominik Hrbaty really impressed with his performance at the Cup too but he is retiring.

I doubt Kim Clijsters is even thinking as far ahead as the Hopman Cup. She would be a coup, but it would be a case of too quickly too soon. She has no real male counterpart. Steve Darcis, Kristof Vliegen and Olivier Rochus don't exactly inspire the imagination.

The Czechs are really boring, so screw them... Spain are in a bit of a boom with Fernando Verdasco and Maria Jose Martinez emerging this year... If only the Swiss could get a female player to sign on the dotted line with Roger Federer, they would be in. Patty Schnyder isn't really playing well and Timea Bacsinszky is not looking bright just yet. Maybe Martina Hingis should make a comeback. Her doping ban has been lifted and she played exhibitions in her time off, so... Aaargh, the possibilities!

[Renalicious]

Del Potro/Dulko would be so good.

Oudin/Querry would be nice as well, or maybe Oudin/Isner.

Canada would be interesting with Wozniak/Dancevic.

What about Romania? Who can Cirstea play with?

[ChrisCologne]

My tip for Querry/Isner and Oudin and Del Potro/Dulko is set. The Israel-tip is quite interesting too. Spain is also a classic and could very well draw Medina and Verdasco.

My guess is though that some are right, the concentration on Elena D. and Andy M. could mean that they won´t draw that much of a competition. On the other hand, Andreev and Robson aren´t that hell of a partner to reach the finals, so why should Perth use only those 2 names to draw crowds if they aren´t at least capable of the finals?!

I know Perth better as they always produced balanced years with solid teams or stardom-teams in other years. I think 1-2 teams will concentrate on youth again, others like Spain or Argentina could circle around stardom.

[Jose.]

Maybe Cirstea/Hanescu