Four Top 10 players in
Amelie Mauresmo,
Maria Sharapova,
Anastasia Myskina, and
Alicia Molik headline the oil-rich WTA stop in Doha this week.
Mauresmo, coming off the title at Antwerp, is also joined among the seeds by Swiss
Patty Schnyder, Russian Elena Bovina returning from injury, Italy's Silvia Farina Elia, and Argentine
Paola Suarez.
Sharapova has recovered from the illness that forced her to pull from the Paris Open.
"I was sick, down with flu and an upper respiratory illness. That's why I pulled out of the Paris Open but now I have recovered," Sharapova said.
The top four seeds receive byes in early-week mojo-killing fashion, but a couple opening round clashes of interest match-up in (7) Farina Elia vs.
Francesca Schiavone in an all-Italian, (6) Bovina vs. Japan's riser
Shinobu Asagoe, and
Daniela Hantuchova vs. Maggie Maleeva in an all-unseeded.
Myskina (2004-03) is the lone returning champ in the field.
On court Monday are Bovina vs. Asagoe, Suarez vs. Bartoli, Schiavone vs. Farina Elia, and Camerin vs. Kostanic.
