Serena, Mauresmo, Sharapova Headline This Week at WTA Paris
Posted on February 7, 2005Australian Open holder Serena Williams heads the star-packed field this week at the WTA stop in Paris, the Open Gaz de France, joined by former No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo, last week's Tokyo winner and current Wimbledon holder Maria Sharapova, Russian Nadia Petrova, Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy, Croat Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem, Italy's Silvia Farina Elia, and Bulgaria's Maggie Maleeva.
First round match-ups of note are (6) The Spreminator vs. Dinara "Little Sis" Safina, a potential second-rounder of (3) Sharapova vs. Tatiana "Hot Pants" Golovin, (7) Farina Elia vs. Klara "Kouky" Koukalova, and (2) Mauresmo vs. the winner of Mary Pierce and Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues.
In last year's final the top-seeded Kim Clijsters unmercifully pounded the unseeded Pierce 6-2, 6-1.
Former champs in the field are Serena (2003,'99), Mauresmo (2001), and Pierce (1998).
First round match-ups of note are (6) The Spreminator vs. Dinara "Little Sis" Safina, a potential second-rounder of (3) Sharapova vs. Tatiana "Hot Pants" Golovin, (7) Farina Elia vs. Klara "Kouky" Koukalova, and (2) Mauresmo vs. the winner of Mary Pierce and Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues.
In last year's final the top-seeded Kim Clijsters unmercifully pounded the unseeded Pierce 6-2, 6-1.
Former champs in the field are Serena (2003,'99), Mauresmo (2001), and Pierce (1998).