Hobart, 3 December 2010 | tennis.com.au

A host of the world’s leading female players will headline an exciting field for the Moorilla Hobart International in January.

World No.16 Marion Bartoli was announced today as the top seed for the tournament and is one of the highest profile players to compete in Hobart along with former world No.1and Australian Open runner-up Dinara Safina of Russia.

Bartoli is expected to face strong competition from rising star Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia and China’s Zheng Jie, who defeated the French starlet in this year’s Australian Open before reaching the semifinals.

Former Moorilla Hobart International champions Zheng Jie, Russia’s Anna Chakvetadze, Switzerland’s Patty Schynder and titleholder Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine are consistent performers at the tournament and will once again be in contention this year.

A number of Tour favourites will also be in action including the flamboyant American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and 40 year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan, who became the second-oldest player in the Open Era to claim a WTA singles title after victory in the Korea Open last year.

Moorilla Hobart International Tournament Director Michael Roberts was excited to welcome the strong field of international players, some of whom will be appearing at the event for the first time.

“Each year we try to bring together a group of exciting players who may not have competed in Hobart before, such as the talented Marion Bartoli and colourful Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

“This year we will have a former world No.1, five players who have been ranked inside the top 10 and four former champions, and they are all in contention at the tournament.

“Watching these players on the intimate courts of the newly redeveloped Domain Tennis Centre will be a real spectacle for tennis fans in Tasmania.”

Joining the international stars in the main draw will be Australia’s No.2 ranked female tennis player Jarmila Groth, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2010 with fourth round appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon, as well as her first career WTA Tour singles title.

Three wildcard places will also be awarded for the Moorilla Hobart International in the coming weeks.

Moorilla Hobart International 2011 series packages and single sessions are on sale now, with ticket prices starting from $9.90.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketek.com.au or 1300 888 104. For further tournament information, visit www.hobartinternational.com.au.

Main draw for 2011 Moorilla Hobart International
Player Country Ranking
Marion Bartoli FRA 16
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS 21
Zie Jheng CHN 26
Tsvetana Pironkova BUL 35
Alona Bondarenko UKR 36
Roberta Vinci  ITA 38
Klara Zakopalova CZE 41
Jarmila Groth AUS 42
Sara Errani ITA 43
Patty Schnyder SUI 44
Anastasija Sevastova LAT 45
Angelique Kerber GER 46
Kimiko Date-Krumm JPN 51
Elena Vesnina RUS 52
Sofia Arvidsson SWE 53
Elena Baltacha GBR 55
Anna Chakvetadze RUS 56
Carla Suarez Navarro ESP 57
Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA 58
Alla Kudryavtseva RUS 60
Melanie Oudin USA 61
Tamarine Tanasugarn THA 62
Dinara Safina RUS 63
Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP 65