Myskina for Sunfeast Open

Some of the world's leading women's tennis players, including world No. 14 Anastasia Myskina of Russia and Indian sensation Sania Mirza, will be seen in action in the US $170,000 WTA Sunfeast Open 2005, at the Netaji Indoor stadium in Kolkata, between September 19 to 25.

Tournament director Jaidip Mukherjea said 23 players from 18 countries have confirmed participation for what will be the biggest prize-money tennis event in South Asia this year.

Besides Myskina and world No. 48 Sania, the other leading entrants are world No. 17 Karolina Sprem of Croatia, Thai star Tamarine Tanasugarn and Japan's Rika Fujiwara.

India's up-and-coming talent Shikha Uberoi also figures in the main draw of the tournament, being organised by doubles ace Mahesh Bhupathi's Globosport India.

Mukherjea said apart from those in the main draw, three wild cards would allotted before the start of the qualifying rounds, on September 18.

He said the tournament committee is striving to rope in another top player but refused to divulge the name.

West Bengal Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty said the tournament, supported by the state government to put the name of the metropolis on the world tennis map, would be an annual event.

Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya will inaugurate the tournament on August 19 while India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed a desire to be present on the concluding day.

Plans are also afoot to stage exhibition mixed doubles matches featuring Bhupathi and others before the inauguration.

Detailing the fixtures, Mukherjea said the qualifying rounds would be played on September 17-18 while the seeding and main draw would be finalized on September 18.

Along with 23 seeded players, four qualifiers, three wild cards and two special exempts would complete the draw.

He said one or two Indians might be given a wild card, depending on the final decision of the tournament committee and other stakeholders.

The names of 23 players featuring in the main draw, Mukherjea said, "are confirmed and unless somebody pulls out due to injury, there will not be any change".

The singles winner would be richer by US $27,000 while the doubles champions would receive US $8,000.

MAIN DRAW –PLAYER FIELD