4 Jan 2011

Not the draw ASB Classic organisers were wanting

1:01 pm on 4 January 2011

The two local players face tough opening matches in the first round of the Auckland women's tennis Classic.

The main draw has been made and Sacha Jones, the New Zealand number one, is up against two-time Grand Slam winner and third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.

New Zealand number two Marina Erakovic has drawn another top-seeded Russian, the 2009 runner-up and seventh seed, Elena Vesnina.

Two of the top seeds also play each other in what should be the highlight of the opening round, with defending champion Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium squaring up with former world number one Dinara Safina, another Russian.

Top seed Maria Sharapova must get past the Spanish world number 57 Carla Suárez Navarro, while the four qualifiers play each other in two other matches.