Monday, October 2 2006 17:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Stuttgart: France's World No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo is strong favourite to win the US$650,000 (€511,000) WTA event which begins here on today Oct 2,2006), as she looks to make it third time lucky after being a losing finalist for the past two years.

American Lindsay Davenport, not taking part this year, defeated her on both occasions so Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Mauresmo will be keen to make amends and consolidate her position at the top of the world rankings.



It will be far from easy for the 27-year-old Mauresmo but the French star is firm favourite to win the 98,500 dollar prize money and the Porsche 911 after some high-profile withdrawals. French Open champion Justin Henin-Hardenne was pencilled in to be the second seed but the Belgian right-hander, runner-up in 2001 and 2003, has been forced to withdraw due to a leg injury.

Russia's Wimbledon quarter-finalist Elena Dementieva replaces Henin-Hardenne as second seed behind Maursemo and is one of three strong hardcourt challengers from her homeland. World No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova, who lost to Henin-Hardenne in the French Open final, and World No. 7 Nadia Petrova complete the Russian line-up.

France's Mary Pierce is another danger in the pack and is a previous winner having lifted the title as a teenager way back in 1993.

US Open champion Maria Sharapova of Russia is another notable absentee along with Belgium's Kim Clijsters who won back-to-back titles here in 2002 and 2003.

Clijsters injured her wrist at a tournament in Montreal and has been forced to withdraw. American sisters Venus and Serena Williams were two late withdrawals and Maursemo will see that as a big threat removed.

A few years ago the sisters were the top two players in the world with two-time Wimbledon champion and former World No. 1 Serena, now ranked 88th in the world, dominating the game before injuries curtailed her career.

Five-time Grand Slam winner Venus, the 2005 Wimbledon champion but now ranked 54th, suffered a recurrence of the wrist injury that sidelined her for three months in the second round of the Luxembourg tournament last week.

Anna-Lena Gronefeld, number 17 in the world, carries German hopes although it would be a major surprise to see her go all the way given the quality of the field.