Date:28/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/28/stories/2005012809761800.htm

Sport - Tennis

Martina Navratilova to play in Hyderabad?

HYDERABAD, JAN. 27. Tennis great Martina Navratilova is likely to take part in the WTA Hyderabad Open, commencing at the SAAP Tennis Complex here from February 7. According to officials in Globosport, the event managers are holding a final round of talks with Martina and are very optimistic that she would make her maiden appearance in India.

Mr. C.G.K. Bhupathi, tournament director, informed that 11 players from the world top 100 will be taking part in the Tier IV event with a prize money of $1,40,000. "There will be three wild cards and the first one has been given to Sania Mirza in the wake of her outstanding performance in the Australian Open," Mr. Bhupathi said.

The top-seed for the WTA Open will be American Meghan Shaughnessy, now ranked No. 40 in WTA rankings. The second seed will be the defending champion Tamarine Tanasugarn.

Mr. Bhupathi also revealed that the cut-off ranking for this Open was 158 and that two more big names would be announced by the end of this month. "Mahesh is staying back in Australia to get the confirmation of two more big name players and will let you know the full details very soon," he said, in reply to a query.

"We have also decided as a special gesture to give a wild card to Iroda Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan (now ranked No. 549) in view of her popularity among the Hyderabadis in the last edition," he informed.