Leading Names Of Tennis World Meet In Istanbul

ISTANBUL - Main draw matches started in the Third Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Istanbul Cup International Women's Tennis Tournament in Istanbul on Monday.
Leading names of the tennis world such as Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva of Russia, Venus Williams of the United States, Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine and Anna Lena Groenefeld of Germany are currently in Istanbul to take part in the tournament.
Sharapova, who will participate in the tournament as the first seed player, will play her first match on May 22nd.
Pemra Ozgen and Ipek Senoglu are Turkish players in the tournament. Ozgen will take on Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine while Senoglu will play against Vania King of the United States on Monday.
Meanwhile, the official opening ceremony of the tournament will be held at the Topkapi Palace later today.
Williams won the first tournament in 2005 while the second tournament's winner was Shahar Peer of Israel.