Serena Williams to arrive on Feb 10

Bangalore, Feb 6 (UNI) Australian Open winner Serena Williams will arrive on February 10 to play in the Sony Ericsson International tennis tournament beginning here from February 12.

After making a great comeback by winning the recently concluded Australian Open, Serena would be playing her first WTA tournament in India. The former World No 1 shot up to 14 from 81 after winning the Australian Open.

Meanwhile, a promising Indian junior player Tara Iyer was given wild card for the event.

The KSLTA Court was also given a colourful look with playing area painted violet and surroundings green. ''The colour was selected on the option given by the WTA'', Tournament Organising Committee Chairman Sunder Raju told newspersons here today.

He said electronic scoring machines would also be installed.

Mr Sunder Raju said that besides Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza, 22 leading international players from across the world would be vying for top honours in the 175,000 dollar tournament, qualifying rounds of which begins from February 10.

He said Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will announce the main draw on the portals of Vidhana Soudha, the State Secretariat on February 10.

He said there was overwhelming response for tickets and more than 40,000 tennis lovers were expected to witness the tournament.

UNI