Al Habtoor qualifiers begin

dubai — The qualifying rounds of the 16th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge 2013 started at the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa on Saturday.

The draw for the main tournament from November 11 to 16, will be held today, soon after the last round of qualifying matches are seen through during the weekend.

The 13-player qualifying draw sees Russia’s top seed Eketerina Yashina, second rated Omani Fatma Al and the third seeded Romanian Elena Bogdan lead the field.

All three have drawn byes for their first round pre-quarters.

Others in the qualifiers include India’s Sanjana Sudhir and Purnima Shakaalya; the Philippines’ Maria Concepcion Bulilan; Nigerian Blessing Anuna; the US’ Luciana Rabines and Hana Evans; Romania’s Eliana Virginia; Nicol Yordanova (Bulgaria); Nela Platkova of the Czech Republic; and Uzbek Dayana Sedova.

The prize money and full hospitality met (for the main event players) tournament begins on Monday.

This is an ITF Women’s Circuit $75,000 prize money leg and entry for fans is free to the well laid out homely tennis complex at the resort in Dubai Marina. Usually families and school children are seen cheering their favourites in the event which sees quality players below the 50 world mark taking part.

Many players who have slipped in world rankings but are good enough to be consistent top 50 players treat such ITF legs to gain points and make comebacks after layoffs and injuries.

Egypt’s Dubai-based Hany ElKhafief, the long time tournament supervisor right from the inception of the event, and an international panel umpire and official, continues to be the overall in-charge of this championship.