Mauresmo, Sharapova, H-H in 3-Way at WTA Championships

It is the first-ever three-way battle for the year-end No. 1 ranking at the year-end championships in Open Era history.

Mauresmo and Henin-Hardenne will attempt to emerge from the Yellow Group against Nadia Petrova and Martina Hingis, while Sharapova is the top seed in the Red Group with Svetlana Kuznetsova, Kim Clijsters, and Elena Dementieva.

Clijsters has been out with a wrist injury the last few months, but returned last week to win the WTA stop in Hasselt, Belgium.

"I had a feeling I would be in the Red Group and that it would be almost totally Russian," said Dementieva, who shares the group with Sharapova and Kuznetsova. "I don't think it really matters what group you're in; all the players who've qualified deserve to be here. Everyone has a chance to win, and I'll be just trying to do my best -- it's going to be a great challenge for everyone."

Four former champions are in the field in Mauresmo (2005), Sharapova (2004), Clijsters (2003-02), and Hingis (2000,'98). It is the first time since 1992 there are four former year-end winners in the field, and speaking to the injuries decimating the top players over the last few years, it is the first time since 2002 that all four Slam champs are in the year-end tournament.

Play starts Tuesday in Madrid.