A dazzling line-up, featuring the generation next of women's tennis from across the world, will take center stage at the second edition of the Sunfeast Open, to be held in Kolkata from September 18 to 24.
Leading the star-studded field at the US $175,000 prize-money event will be former World No.1 Martina Hingis [Images] and India's teenage sensation Sania Mirza [Images].
The WTA Tour Tier 3 will feature as many as nine Top 100 players, including Croatia's Karolina Sprem, the runner-up in the inaugural edition of the event in 2005 and whom Sania defeated in the first round of the US Open.
Yuliana Fedak from Ukraine, Hungarian Melinda Czink, Galina Voskoboeva of Russia [Images], Kaia Kanepi (Estonia), Aravane Rezai (France [Images]) and Yulia Beygelzimer (Ukraine) are the other leading players who have confirmed for the event, a statement from tournament organisers GloboSports said.
"In its second edition itself the Sunfeast Open has grown in stature and this year too we have an array of top players who will provide some scintillating action on the courts," Mahesh Bhupathi [Images], tennis idol and Managing Director of GloboSports, said.
"The presence of a group of promising youngsters, each capable of winning their first WTA title will add excitement to the challenge.
"The leading players have beaten the best in the field and this fact holds promise for some dazzling display for tennis lovers of our country."