Sydney NSW, Australia, 1 December 2016 | apiainternational.com.au

Six of the world’s top 10 ranked women will play at the Apia International Sydney this January, with two-time defending champion Viktor Troicki (SRB) also returning for a shot at a historical three-peat.

The lowest-ranked player to receive direct entry to the women’s main draw is world No.29 Irina-Camelia Begu, making Sydney’s main draw cut-off the best of any tournament on the WTA tour in the past 12 months.

With four major champions in the field, the women’s draw features world No.1 and reigning Australian and US Open champion Angelique Kerber, world No.3 Agnieszka Radwanska, WTA Finals champion and world No.5 Dominika Cibulkova, US Open finalist and world No.6 Karolina Pliskova, world No.9 and defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) and Brit Johanna Konta, the world No.10.

> view the women’s field

Grand slam champs Petra Kvitova and Sam Stosur, Aussie young gun Daria Gavrilova and fan favourites Caroline Wozniacki and Eugenie Bouchard add even more star power to the line-up.

In the men’s event, Troicki will attempt to do what nobody in the Open Era has achieved in Sydney when he guns for his third straight Apia International Sydney title.

The Serbian world No.29 became the first male to go back-to-back in Sydney this year since American James Blake in 2006-07.

World No.8 Dominic Thiem will lead a men’s field with a cut-off ranking of 51, with world No.22 Pablo Cuevas, British rising star Kyle Edmund and Spanish favourite Fernando Verdasco also confirmed.

> view the men’s field

Tournament Director Alistair MacDonald said Sydney fans were in for a spectacular week of tennis.

“The women’s field is the best in the world and we’re incredibly proud our event continues to lead the way here,” MacDonald said.

“With the addition of Thiem, the world No.8 and an absolute star of the future, the prospect of Troicki completing a three-peat and some fantastic off-court entertainment, I believe fans are in for a special week here in Sydney.”

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres said the Apia International Sydney will kick off an incredible Sydney summer of tennis, which promises to be the biggest and best yet.

“Sydney is the fitting venue for the world’s top players – especially six of the top ten female stars – to showcase their form in a thrilling week of tennis, and I encourage everyone to get in early and book their tickets.”

Apia International Sydney single session tickets and series packages are now available. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketek.com.au/booksydney or by calling 1300 888 104.

For further tournament information please visit apiainternational.com.au.