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TOKYO: Serbia's one-two punch in women's tennis, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, will lead a star-studded field at the Pan Pacific Open in September, organisers said Thursday.
The 20-year-old world number one Ivanovic, who was runner-up to retired Swiss Miss Martina Hingis here last year, captured her first Grand Slam singles title at the French Open last month.
Jankovic, the 23-year-old world number two who lost to Ivanovic in the semi-finals at Roland Garros, has won six titles on the WTA Tour this season. She also reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open.
Other top-10 players who have committed to play here all hail from Russia -- world number four Svetlana Kuznetsova, number eight Anna Chakvetadze and number nine Dinara Safina, who lost to Ivanovic in the French Open final.
France's Amelie Mauresmo, Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova and Russia's Nadia Petrova will also compete in the 1.34-million-US dollar tournament at the Ariake Coliseum, which runs from September 16 to 21.
China's Olympic hopeful Li Na is the top Asian player, and will be joined by Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, who made a surprise run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals this season, and Japan's Ai Sugiyama.
Former world number four Kimiko Date-Krumm, who came out of retirement in April after a 12-year break, received a wild card for the qualifying round.
"I'm really happy to have a chance to take part in this memorable tournament again. I wonder how far I can go. I'm just going to enjoy and do my best," Date, who won the title here in 1995, said in a statement.
- AFP/jk
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