Kvitova, Ivanovic Among Players Back on Court This Week at WTA Paris, Pattaya City

21e OPEN GDF SUEZ

Paris, France; Surface: indoor hard

Seeds: Sara Errani, Petra Kvitova, Marion Bartoli, Dominika Cibulkova, Roberta Vinci, Lucie Safarova, Julia “Gorgeous” Goerges, Klara Zakopalova
ADHEREL

Floaters: Anabel “Funky Cold” Medina Garrigues, Tamira Paszek, Yanina Wickmayer

Notes: An Italian leads the French field as Errani heads the seeds, with the only French seed Bartoli at No. 3; Kvitova tries to turn around her horrendous start ot the season; (8) Zakopalova a tough start against the hot-handed Medina Garrigues; wildcards went to Kvitova, Safarova, and France’s Kristina Mladenovic and Pauline Parmentier; pulling from the field with injury were Kaia Kanepi and Venus Williams (back); Errani after a bye will start against a qualifier; Kvitova (2011) is the only returning champ in the field; Angelique Kerber beat Bartoli in last year’s three-set final.

PTT PATTAYA Open

Pattaya City, Thailand; Surface: outdoor hard

Seeds: Ana Ivanovic, Maria Kirilenko, Hsieh Su-wei, Sorana Cirstea, Sabine Lisicki, Daniela Hantuchova, Elena Vesnina, Heather Watson

Floaters: Kimiko Date-Krumm, Shahar Peer

Notes: The former No. 1 and top-seeded Ivanovic looking at a potential second-round meeting against the ageless Date-Krumm; no Top 10-ranked seeds, and No. 50 ranked Watson sneaks in at the No. 8 seed; wildcards went to Hantuchova, and Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum and Varatchaya Wongteanchai; notable pulls from the field were Brit Laura Robson and Russian and two-time tournament winner Vera Zvonareva; Hantuchova is the two-time defending champion, in last year’s final beating Kirilenko, and joined among returning champs by Peer (2006).