2 Oct 2010

Jones begins qualifying for China Open

6:20 am on 2 October 2010

The New Zealand tennis number one Sacha Jones is bidding for a place in the 2010 China Open in Beijing, after receiving a wild card entry to the qualifying rounds.

Jones won last week's $US25,000 ITF Tournament in Alice Springs, and will play Russia's Vera Dushevina, who's ranked 133 places higher than the New Zealander, in the first qualifying round.

The winner of the China Open will win $US4.2 million.

If Jones, ranked 195, makes it into the Open, she'll be playing against the likes of the world number two Caroline Wozniacki, the third-ranked Venus Williams, and the world number six Jelena Jankovic.