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Sharapova to defend Pan Pacific Open title
The Russian star will launch her defence of the Pan Pacific Open tournament that gets underway on Tuesday.
Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, setting her sights on regaining her world number one spot, will launch her defence of the Pan Pacific Open tournament that gets underway on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old won her first career title at the Japan Open in 2003 and took her third title in Tokyo a year ago.
"I feel like I'm really excited to come back, I always want to come back. I hope I can defend the title in such a great tournament," said the top seed, who became the first Russian to take the number one ranking in August last year.
Sharapova surrendered the number one spot to Lindsay Davenport after the American's victory at the Zurich Open in October.
Sharapova, the losing semi-finalist to Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium in the Australian Open last week, received a first-round bye with other top three seeds.
She will open her defence of the 1.34-million-dollar indoor event by taking on a qualifier in the top half, which also includes sixth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, third seed Nathalie Dechy of France and eighth seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and Montenegro.
Wild card entrant Martina Hingis of Switzerland, fresh from her victory in the Australian Open mixed doubles on Sunday, will make another comeback here, seeking to regain the title she won in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002.
Hingis will meet Japan's Akiko Morigami in the first round for a place against Dechy in the second round.
Sydney Olympic silver medallist Elena Dementieva leads the bottom half against fellow Russians fourth seed Anastasia Myskina, seventh seed Elena Likhovtseva, and fifth seed Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic.
To the disappointment of fans, former world number ones Davenport, the winner here in 1998, 2001, 2003 and 2004, and Serena Williams pulled out with injuries they received during the Australian Open.
