Brisbane QLD, Australia, 26 November 2014 | Tennis Australia

A record eight Grand Slam champions will headline Brisbane International presented by Suncorp this summer, the highest number in the event’s six-year history.

Grand Slam champions Roger Federer (SUI), Juan Martin del Potro (ARG), Marin Cilic (CRO), Lleyton Hewitt (SA), Maria Sharapova (RUS), Ana Ivanovic (SRB), Sam Stosur (Qld) and Victoria Azarenka (BLR) will all descend on Brisbane in January to commence their 2015 campaigns.

Five of the world’s top 11 men – as well as 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro with an injury protected ranking of No.7 – and four of the top 10 women will feature at the event, setting the stage for a blockbuster week of on-court action.

Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will lead the star-studded men’s draw alongside Kei Nishikori (JPN), Milos Raonic (CAN), reigning US Open champion Marin Cilic and Grigor Dimitrov (BUL).

Defending Brisbane International champion Lleyton Hewitt and countryman Bernard Tomic (Qld) will start as local favourites for the event, set to get under way at Queensland Tennis Centre on Sunday 4 January.

In the women’s draw five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova heads a world class line-up, alongside fellow top 10 players Ana Ivanovic,Angelique Kerber (GER) and Dominika Cibulkova (SVK).

Eight of the world’s top 20 women will battle it out for the 2015 title, with Andrea Petkovic (GER), Jelena Jankovic (SRB), Carla Suarez Navarro(ESP) and Garbine Muguruza (ESP) all confirmed to compete. Brisbane International 2012 champion Kaia Kanepi (EST) will also return for another tilt at the Evonne Goolagong Trophy.

Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said fans could look forward to a massive eight days of tennis in January.

“We’re thrilled with the calibre of the fields we have assembled for this summer’s event, the tournament continues to grow each year and 2015 is shaping up as one of our best yet,” he said.

“It’s fantastic to welcome Roger Federer back to Brisbane as well as our men’s defending champion Lleyton Hewitt, newly-crowned Grand Slam champion Marin Cilic and crowd favourites Grigor Dimitrov and Bernard Tomic.

“Each year the event attracts many of the world’s top women and 2015 will be no exception, with Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Sam Stosur, Victoria Azarenka and many more big names set to compete.

“To have eight Grand Slam champions, five of the world’s top 11 men – as well as Juan Martin del Potro with an injury protected ranking of No.7 – and four of the top 10 women commit to Brisbane is a fantastic result, and certainly highlights the players’ regard for the tournament.

“One of the major reasons the players love coming to Brisbane is the fans, and I encourage the public to come along and show their support this summer. Tickets are selling fast so get in early and get ready for another big week of tennis in January.”

Brisbane International 2015 is supported by the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland, as part of a dynamic calendar of events throughout the state showcasing Australia’s best events in Australia’s best destinations.

The official fields are as follows:

Men

[2] Roger Federer (SUI)*
[5] Kei Nishikori (JPN)
[7] Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)* – Injury protected ranking
[8] Milos Raonic (CAN)
[9] Marin Cilic (CRO)*
[11] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
[16] Kevin Anderson (RSA)
[21] Gilles Simon (FRA)
[23] Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)
[25] Julien Benneteau (FRA)
[27] Jurgen Melzer (AUT) – Injury protected ranking
[29] Jeremy Chardy (FRA)
[34] Martin Klizan (SVK)
[35] Sam Querrey (USA)
[37] Steve Johnson (USA)
[50] Lleyton Hewitt (SA)*
[56] Bernard Tomic (Qld)
[57] Donald Young (USA)
[70] Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ)
[72] Carlos Berlocq (ARG)
[73] Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)

Women

[2] Maria Sharapova (RUS)*
[5] Ana Ivanovic (SRB)*
[9] Angelique Kerber (GER)
[10] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
[13] Andrea Petkovic (GER)
[15] Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
[17] Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
[20] Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
[22] Sam Stosur (Qld)*
[23] Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
[26] Sabine Lisicki (GER)
[28] Elina Svitolina (UKR)
[30] Madison Keys (USA)
[31] Victoria Azarenka (BLR)*
[34] Camila Giorgi (ITA)
[35] Varvara Lepchenko (USA)
[37] Caroline Garcia (FRA)
[38] Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL)
[43] Alison Riske (USA)
[50] Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK)
[51] Kaia Kanepi (EST)
[52] Christina McHale (USA)

* denotes Grand Slam champion
All rankings as at 24 November 2014

Players will learn their fate at the official tournament draw at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre on Saturday 3 January, when first-round match-ups will be randomly determined.

With fewer than 40 days until play gets under way, preparations for the tournament are now in full swing. In 2015:

• a total of 58 players will contest the men’s and women’s singles draws
• at least 25 different nations will be represented in the men’s and women’s singles, with wildcards and qualifying players yet to be added to the fields
• Lleyton Hewitt will be aiming to become just the third player in Brisbane International history to win back-to-back titles, with only Scot Andy Murray (2012-13) and the USA’s Serena Williams (2013-14) having achieved the feat so far
• in a world first, coaches of women’s singles competitors will be allowed to bring a WTA-authorised mobile device on court during coaching breaks and use real-time data insights to analyse player performance
• more than 11,000 Wilson tennis balls will be used on court
• the Wilson stringers will restring more than 1000 racquets – using more than 10km of string – throughout the tournament
• more than 100 print, radio and broadcast media will provide detailed coverage of the event to media outlets around the globe
• the tournament will be broadcast to more than 50 countries worldwide

Brisbane International 2015, presented by Suncorp and supported by Tourism and Events Queensland, will be held at Queensland Tennis Centre from 4-11 January. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketek.

For all tournament information please visit brisbaneinternational.com.au, and join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

The Brisbane International is part of the Emirates Australian Open Series, which also incorporates Hopman Cup (Perth), Apia International Sydney, Hobart International and World Tennis Challenge (Adelaide).