Logic says the world's best doubles combination of Paola Suarez and Virginia Ruano Pascual should breeze through their tournament without dropping a set and prepare themselves for a similar assault on the Australian Open.
The Argentine/Spanish combination are the shortest-priced favourites in the 16-strong field at the ASB Classic, but must
be mindful of last year's final where top seeds Cara Black and Elena Likhovtseva were tipped over by unheralded Americans Teryn Ashley and Abigail Spears in a tough three-setter.
On ranking points, Suarez/Ruano Pascual are 55 points ahead of surprise second seeds Meilen Tu (US) and Venezuelan Maria Vento-Kabchi in the doubles.
The other seeded combinations are capable of upsetting but are also playing singles and will not want a too-hectic schedule.
Third seeds Marion Bartoli (France), one of the up-and-comers ranked in the world's top 20 on the doubles chart, is paired with Laura Granville (US) who has a doubles ranking of 90.
Defending singles champion Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) is ranked 63 and teams with 50th-ranked Italian Rita Grande in another likely combination.
New Zealand sisters Eden and Paula Marama, off the radar screen in terms of rankings, might be a good upset chance.
They are likely to play their first round match as one of two matches in tomorrow's night session against unseeded Jennifer Hopkins (US) and Taipei's Janet Lee.
The winner of that match will meet the winner of the last match on centre court today between the top seeds and Emmanuelle Gagliardi (Switzerland) and Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues.
The Marama sisters remain New Zealand's only hope in the doubles after Ilke Gers and her Russian partner Anastassia Rodinova blew a 6-3 lead (in a "pro" set - first to eight points) to lose to the strong Japanese pairing of Shinobu Asagoe and Yuka Yoshida 6-8.
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