Sybille Hosts the Ladies in Linz

Nine of the Top 20 will contest this week’s Generali Ladies Linz event, led by world No.4 Ana Ivanovic. In-form Zürich finalist Flavia Pennetta is among the contenders as seventh seed; also highlighting a strong Tier II field are Sony Ericsson Championships Race contenders Vera Zvonareva and Agnieszka Radwanska, as well as two players with fine records in Austria's third largest city, two-time runner-up Patty Schnyder and former champion Nadia Petrova.
 
Indeed, while Ivanovic was buoyed by her run to the last four at Zürich last week - her first semifinal since winning the French Open in early June - the 20-year-old Serb will have a battle on her hands if she wants to do even better this week. After a first round bye, the top seed faces either Francesca Schiavone or Austria's own Sybille Bammer, who will be keen to give her hometown fans a taste of the form that took her to the quarters at the US Open.
 
Zvonareva, who reached her third Tier I final of the year at the Kremlin Cup two weeks ago and won her seventh title at Guangzhou in September, is the No.2 seed in Linz. Unlike Ivanovic, who some time ago secured her place at next month's season-ending fiesta at Doha, Zvonareva has it all to play for, and needs a strong showing this week. The same holds for Radwanska, the 19-year-old Pole who made her Top 10 debut during the summer and is the third seed. Her best bet now is probably as a Doha alternate, but she needs to perform this week in any case.
 
Swiss veteran Schnyder, who celebrates her 30th birthday in December, is the No.4 seed. Having won her 11th career title at Bali last month, Schnyder is knocking on the door of a return to the Top 10; as a two-time runner up at Linz - including last year when she lost to Daniela Hantuchova in the final - this could be the perfect stage for her to take that next step. Petrova, who beat Schnyder in the final here in 2005 but lost it to Maria Sharapova in 2006, has also been rejuvenated in recent months, and is a dangerous fifth seed. The 26-year-old Russian was also runner-up in 2003 to Ai Sugiyama, and the Japanese star is back again too.
 
Two talented Frenchwomen round out the seeds: Marion Bartoli is No.6, while 18-year-old Alizé Cornet is No.8. Both have had variable results of late, but could cause damage at the Intersport Arena. Others to watch include 18-year-old Austrian wildcard Tamira Paszek, and fast-rising Slovak Dominika Cibulkova.
 
The doubles draw at Linz is first rate too. As well as the top-ranked duo of Cara Black and Liezel Huber, who are the defending champions and have qualified for Doha, this week's competition features four teams who are close: Kveta Peschke and Rennae Stubbs; Alona and Katerina Bondarenko; Ai Sugiyama and Katarina Srebotnik; and Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur. Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual, who are playing in Luxembourg this week, have already qualified in second place, so only two of these pairs can make the cut for the four-team field. The competition is so tight that each team not only needs to worry about their own performance, but those of their rivals as well.