ANTWERP - Top-ranked Justine Henin and Australian Open champion Serena Williams will top the draw for next month's WTA Diamond Games tournament.
|
|
| Justine Henin of Belgium celebrates after winning the final match against Maria Sharapova of Russia at the WTA Championships tennis tournament in Madrid, November 11, 2007. [Agencies] |
Serena Williams of the US poses with her diamond encrusted silver tennis ball after the US Novak Djokovic and Jelena Jankovic of defeated Serbia in the final of the Hopman Cup mixed team tennis event in Perth January 4, 2008. [Agencies] |
Henin will play the February 11-17 event for the first time in five years, organizers announced Tuesday.
Other top-20 players include Anna Chakvetadze of Russia, Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Tatiana Golovin of France.
Amelie Mauresmo will not defend her title after she won the euro1 million (US$1.4 million) diamond racket for good last year. The trophy goes to any three-time winner in a five-year span.
The new diamond racket will have 2008 gems studded on its frame.
The Diamond Games is one of the most popular indoor tournaments and drew 14,500 fans to the final at the Sports Palace last year.
Henin will seek to defend her Olympic title in Beijing and complete a Grand Slam sweep of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open. The only player to win all four Slams and the Olympic title in the same year was Steffi Graf in 1988.
Last year, Henin won the French and U.S. Opens in a total of 10 titles.
