Kerala Open begins tomorrow

Thiruvanathapuram, May 13 (UNI) Kerala Open '07 -- the International Tennis Federation Women's Tournament-- will see players from the country and abroad lock horns for a seven-day event from tomorrow.

The main draw would begin tomorrow at the Trivandrum Tennis Club Courts with the inauguration of the tournament by Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan.

There would be 32 players in the main draw, ITF Supervisor Nitin Kannamwar said, adding the doubles finals would be held on May 18 and the singles on May 19.

Agnes Szatmari of Rumania, ranked 278, is the highest ranking player in the tournament followed by Lauren Albanese of the US (282). The highest ranking Indian player is Sanaa Bhambri, ranked 522nd.

The event has players from Italy, UK, US, Belgium, Australia, Romania, Venezula and France, besides India.

Trivandrum Tennis Club (TTC) secretary and Tournament director S Krishnamoorthi said the prize money ran up to 25,000 USD, making the Kerala Open '07 the third event in the country.

He said the TC was organising such a big event after a decade and the last one was the satellite men's tournament. ''We plan to make the tourney an annual event,'' he said.

The qualifying matches began yesterday and would continue today, and as many as 23 players would fight it out in the qualifiers, for eight spots in the main draw.

Of the 32 players, 20 players are direct entries, four wild card entries and eight from the qualifying round.

UNI