New Delhi: The last WTA tournament of the season. The Madrid Masters will feature the top eight women players, each of whom will be fighting to prove they are the best in the game. An event that determines who the number one will be.
For the top women players in the world, it's a battle to stamp their supremacy. Top seed Amelie Mauresmo, coming out of shoulder injury, will be looking to retain the top spot.
"I am really looking forward to this week, and I am also very excited about playing in this different format which makes this event a little bit special," Mauresmo says.
But she will have to get past the solid baseline play of Justine Henin-Hardenne, who has also had to combat injuries that pulled her out of the Fed Cup. But the Belgian is very keen to set things straight before the season ends.
"I am healthy, I am feeling lucky to play, I will try to win my first match which will give me rhythm, confidence to continue the competition. So then if it has to happen it happens but it is not the end," says Henin-Hardenne.
Out to prove herself, Maria Sharapova will be aiming to end this year on a high. After winning her first US Open this year, the Russian is all set to burn the courts.
"It would be incredible to end the year number one but it is not something I am
going to go into every match thinking about. If I keep winning it is going to happen on its own, sooner or later. If it is not at the end of the year, I've still had a good year to be proud of," says Sharapova.
And let's not forget comeback queen Martina Hingis, who recently won the Sunfeast Open and has been performing consistently over the months.
Kim Clijsters, who missed defending the US Open due to her wrist injury and then came back to win the Hasselt Cup will be looking to cause a few concerns in the higher ranks.
"I have been working hard these last few weeks to get back into shape and to get my game back to where I want it to be. Last week in Gaz it was getting a lot better and my last two matches were good so it was nice to take those with me to come to Madrid," says Clijsters.
Svetlana Kuznetsova may well be the dark horse in the event. But Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova right now seem to be just fillers.
So there you have it. Be sure to catch all the action from the top eight players in the season-ending Madrid Masters.
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