Former world No.1 Venus Williams is the top seed and the top name at the inaugural Istanbul Cup in Istanbul, Turkey, which begins on Monday.
Williams is playing in her first event since helping the United States advance to the Fed Cup semifinals with two singles victories on hard court against Belgium.
Joining Venus is 16-year-old phenom Nicole Vaidisova, who will be the No.2 seed. Anna Smashnova is seeded third, No. 4 is Lisa Raymond, No.5 Anna-Lena Groenefeld, No.6 Meghann Shaughnessy, No.7 Anna Chakvetadze and No.8 Mashona Washington.
In case you are in the are, the event is taking place at the Holiday-Inn Crowne Plaza, which sits next to the Ataköy Marina, a port entry to Turkey that is located at the southern end of the Bosphorus Straits.
