MONTERREY, Mexico - With the Indian Wells-Miami double whammy looming, the Monterrey Open affords a last chance for the stars of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour to hone their hardcourt games - so they have plenty to gain at the second staging of the $220,000 International event this week.
Although last year's champion, Marion Bartoli, isn't back, the top flight field is led by former world No.1 Jelena Jankovic, who has been granted a wildcard. Currently ranked No.9, the tenacious Serb celebrates her 25th birthday on February 28, and a shiny new trophy would be the perfect present.
Hunting form too ahead of the first Premier Mandatory tournament of the year is Daniela Hantuchova, a two-time champion at Indian Wells. The 26-year-old has also accepted a wild card in hopes a good run as No.2 seed at Monterrey will help her inch closer back to the Top 20.
Likewise Monterrey's No.3 seed won't want for motivation: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is now the highest-ranked player yet to win a singles title on the Tour. Still only 18, Pavlyuchenkova actually beat Hantuchova on her way to the quarters at Dubai. This week she's in Jankovic's half of the draw but could run into talented Slovene Polona Hercog, who is coming off a runner-up finish to Venus Williams at Acapulco, in the second round.
Hantuchova's fellow Slovak Dominika Cibulkova is seeded fourth, also on a wildcard, as she continues to play herself back into form after a rib injury wrecked the second half of her 2009 season. Cibulkova sits right behind Pavlyuchenkova in the rankings, and is also due a maiden title win.
Agnes Szavay is the No.5 seed in Monterrey, Anabel Medina Garrigues is No.6, Aleksandra Wozniak is No.7 and Lucie Safarova is No.8. Of this group Safarova has had the most to boast about of late, producing a fine run to the final at the Paris Indoors last month to work her way back into the Top 40.
Unseeded names to watch for include Sorana Cirstea, who only just missed out on a seeding, Kaia Kanepi and Alizé Cornet, who have all struggled recently but certainly have what it takes to go all the way.
Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King headline the 16-team doubles line-up.
