Top stars to vie for Sunfeast Open 2006 title

A dazzling line up featuring the generation next of women’s tennis from across the world will take centre stage from September 18 - 24 at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here for Sunfeast Open 2006, the second edition of South Asia’s prestigious WTA tournament. Leading the star studded contingent will be the Swiss Miss and former World No.1 Martina Hingis and India’s teenage sensation and superstar Sania Mirza.

Of the gritty girls who will battle for the $175,000 Sunfeast Open title in the Tier III tournament, as many as 9 are among the WTA Top 100, including the Croation Karolina Sprem, the runner-up in the inaugural edition of the event in 2005, Yuliana Fedak from Ukraine and Hungarian Melinda Czink. Sizzling up the fray with their exciting brand of explosive tennis will be other Top 100 players such as Galina Voskoboeva (Russia), Kaia Kanepi (Estonia), Aravane Rezai (France) and Yulia Beygelzimer (Ukraine).

The Sunfeast Open, the most prestigious Sony Ericsson WTA tournament ever held in India is organized by Globosport, India’s leading sports and entertainment management company headed by Indian tennis idol Mahesh Bhupathi. The inaugural edition of the Sunfeast Open was an outstanding success and testimony to the joint efforts of Government of West Bengal, Globosport and ITC, one of India’s most valuable and respected corporations, who are the Title Sponsors of the Event.

Announcing the field of players (see attached list), Mahesh Bhupathi, Managing Director, Globosport India said, “In its second edition itself the Sunfeast Open has grown in stature and this year too we have an array of top players who will provide some scintillating action on the courts. The presence of a group of promising youngsters, each capable of winning their first WTA title will add excitement to the challenge. The leading players have beaten the best in the field and this fact holds promise for some dazzling display for tennis lovers of our country. I am pleased to say that the Sunfeast Open has lived up to its objective of attracting the finest talent and providing Indian fans a chance to watch great tennis.”

Mr Ravi Naware, Divisional Chief Executive ITC Foods said, “Sunfeast Open, India’s biggest WTA tournament has been a huge draw and will continue to enthrall the crowds each year. With the successful completion of the first edition in 2005 and the brilliant player field this year, Kolkata has been placed amongst the elite cities in the world of tennis. We are thrilled that our pioneering association with the Sunfeast Open since its inception has helped raise the profile of women’s tennis in India and resulted in the active involvement of thousands of youngsters through our unique initiatives, like the Sunfeast Open Design the Trophy Contest and our Sunfeast Open Ball Boy and Ball Girl Contest.”

In 1997, Martina became the fastest player ever to win $1 million in a season and a day later became the youngest-ever world No. 1, ending Steffi Graf's record reign (for men and women) of 377 total weeks. Martina has had a good run this season and last week she made her first appearance in the Top 10 since October 13, 2002. Currently ranked No. 9 in the World and seeded number one at the Sunfeast Open, 2006, Martina will be making her maiden appearance in India.

Sania Mirza is no stranger to the Courts and Galleries at Kolkata. Egged on as always by her legion of delirious fans, Sania will lead the Indian charge at the Sunfeast Open 2006. Martina and Sania, however, will be mistaken if they have planned an easy route to the finals. Snapping at their heels will be Sprem who would be trying hard to overcome the disappointment of losing out in the finals of Sunfeast Open last year. The former World No.17 is back with a vengeance and an eye firmly fixed on the crown. This year she has already recorded her career-best performance at Roland Garros reaching the third round with an upset win over No.18 seed Likhovtseva before eventually going down fighting to No.11 seed Venus Williams. Sania has now gained an upper hand over Sprem by defeating her yesterday in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the US Open 2006.

For Ukranian Yuliana Fedak this will be the second visit to India during the year. In February, she played at the Bangalore WTA tournament where she recorded a quarter-final appearance before losing to the eventual winner. Fedak has partnered with both Sania Mirza and Melinda Czink but won’t give space to either in her quest for the maiden WTA title.

Czink is 2005’s culprit when she put paid to the hopes of millions of Indians by defeating Sania Mirza in the pre-quarters in a thrilling three-setter (0-6, 6-4, 6-4). Sania and India will be eagerly seeking sweet revenge should the two meet in the 2006 edition. The recent defeat to Martina Hingis in Dubai is also likely to play on Sania’s mind if the duo charts the expected path into the finals. However, Sania is capable of beating the best on her day, something that each of her opponents in the draw would be aware of.

Waiting in the wings will be the Thai star Tamarine Tansasugarn for whom India is a favourite hunting ground having won the WTA Hyderabad Open in 2003. The Asian star has been a steady performer on the Tour and also has five doubles titles. Not to be ignored are also a handful of youngsters eagerly awaiting their day to prove their mettle. Apart from three wild cards that will be announced soon, the qualifiers that will be held on September 16 and 17 will throw up four more participants.

In the battle between the stars, the real winner is the Indian tennis fan, for whom the opportunity of watching the game’s brightest sparks has come right to the doorstep. As fans wait with bated breath and the girls work harder on their game, the Sunfeast Open 2006 promises a week of high octane tennis served up in style and in the spirit of the game.