Stellar Field at WTA Stuttgart
Posted on October 1, 2007
STUTTGART, Germany -- The second week of the European indoor season sees a stellar cast assemble in southern Germany for the 30th staging of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Eight of the world's Top 10, including No.1 Justine Henin, are in the draw for the $650,000, Tier II event in what promises to be an absorbing week's tennis.
Top seed Henin has enjoyed a truly magical year to date, compiling a magnificent 50-4 win-loss record on her way to seven more career titles. Among these triumphs were championship runs at both Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows, form which has cemented her position at the summit of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. The 25-year-old Belgian is a two-time Porsche Tennis Grand Prix runner-up -- although both of these finishes came at the event's previous home in Filderstadt -- and in her current rich vein of form she will arrive at the Porsche Arena in buoyant mood.
The No.2 seed this week is Svetlana Kuznetsova, who has been one of the most consistent players on Tour in 2007. The 22-year-old Russian has produced numerous outstanding performances, including a title run in New Haven and a runner-up finish at the US Open. These successes have seen Kuznetsova rise to a career-high ranking of No.2 and after winning 12 of her last 13 matches, she will be confident on bettering the semifinal finishes she recorded at her past two appearances in the tournament.
Serbian star Jelena Jankovic is the No.3 seed in Baden-W?berg and she will be hoping to add the prestigious indoor title to her burgeoning trophy cabinet. The 22-year-old from Belgrade has enjoyed a magnificent season to date, securing four Tour titles -- including the Tier I events in Charleston and Rome -- and rising to a career-high ranking of No.3. Jankovic's best showings in her previous visits to the tournament were quarterfinal finishes in 2004 and 2006 and she will be eager to improve on this record when she gets her campaign underway against either Francesca Schiavone or Shahar Peer.
This week's No.4 seed will be the high-flying Russian, Anna Chakvetadze. The 20-year-old Muscovite has enjoyed a tremendous season to date, recording four tournament wins -- including the hardcourt titles at Hobart, Cincinnati and Stanford -- and recently breaking into the world's Top 5 for the very first time. Chakvetadze's only previous appearance at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix came back in 2005 when she was knocked out in the very first round, however, after racking up 56 wins already this season, few would bet against her improving this record in the coming week.
There is certainly no shortage in quality in this year's field and with such strength in depth, the 2007 champion could come from anywhere in the draw. The No.5 seed Ana Ivanovic comes into the tournament fresh from a title run in Luxembourg, while eight-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams is No.6. The final two seeds are defending champion Nadia Petrova (No.7) and 2002 runner-up Daniela Hantuchova (No.8). Yet with such a high-calibre draw, even the unseeded players such as former runners-up Amelie Mauresmo and Tatiana Golovin have the potential to trouble the favorites this week.
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is back in Stuttgart for the second consecutive year after spending two decades in the neighbouring town of Filderstadt. Former champions include Kim Clijsters (2002, 2003), Martina Hingis (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000), Anke Huber (1991, 1994), Mary Pierce (1993) and Martina Navratilova (1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988). This year's winner will receive a cheque for $92,410, while the runner-up will take home $49,570.
-- WTA Tour
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