The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net With the second Bahamas Women's Open less than two weeks away, executive director Ty Olander made a passionate plea to the business owners to throw their financial support behind the week-long tournament. Speaking at the South East Rotary Club of Nassau on Friday, he informed the audience that bringing the major international tennis tournament to the Bahamas was not about him but rather the future of the Bahamas. "Once the Bahamas becomes a permanent stop on the tour, millions of dollars will come to our country and impact our local economy," Olander said. "That will mean more jobs, more scholarships, more benefits and more things to do for our residents and our visitors." The tournament is scheduled for March 10-17 at the National Tennis Centre. It will have more than 140 players vying for six spots into the main draw of 32. Olander has noted that for the first time, the Bahamas will have two competitors receiving wild card entries into the main draw. However, he has declined to announce those names until a press conference is held. Already accepted into the main draw are the following: Angelique Kerber, ranked at number 20 in the world; Kaia Kanepi, No.31; Mona Barthel, No.37; Ksenia Pervak, No.41; Klara Zakopalova, No.46; Simona Halep, No.53; Marina Erakovic, No.54; Barbora Zahlavoa, No.55; Pauline Parmentier, No.59; Elena Baltacha, No.60; Johanna Larsson, No.61; Romina Oprandi, No.62; Alberta Brianti, No.67; Kateryna Bondarenko, No.70; Silvia Soler-Espinosa, No.71; Kimiko Date-Krumm, No.73; Anna Tatishvili, No.75; Anne Keothavong, No.77; Aleksandra Wozniak, No.80; Urszula Radwanska, No.81; Michaella Krajicek, No.82; Laura Pous-Tio, No.84; Tamarine Tanasugarn, No.85 and Sloane Stephens, No.86. So far, there are 26 players whose names have already been submitted for entry into the qualifying round that will be held over the weekend of March 10-11. Those players are as follows: Stephanie Dubois, ranked at No.87; Virginie Razzano, No.88; Magdalena Rybarikova, No.91; Stephanie Foretz Gacon, No.92; Mandy Minella, No.94; Anastasia Rodionova, No.96; Alla Kudrayavtseva, No.98; Edina Gallovits-Hall, No.99; Irina Falconi, No.101; Patricia Mayr-Achleitner, No.103; Nina Bratchikova, Np.106; Timea Babos, No.107; Bojana Jovanovski, No.108; Eva Birnerova, No.109; Valeria Savinykh, No.111; Lourdes Dominguez-Lino, No.112; Arantxa Parra-Santonja, No.114; Kristina Barrois, No.116; Alize Cornet, No.117; Mirjana Lucic, No.118; Akgul Amanmuradova, No.119; Paula Ormaechea, No.120; Alison Riske, No.122; Heather Watson, No.123; Su-Wei Hsieh, No 124; Lesia Tsurenko, No.125 and Misaki Doi, No.127. According to Olander, there is a possibility that both Gabrielle Moxey and Grand Bahamian Simone Pratt will be included in the qualifying round as well. During the official opening of the tournament on Sunday, March 11, a legendary doubles match will take place between Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Mary Joe Fernandez, Jennifer Capriati and Zina Garrison. This will mark the first time in the history of tennis that three former number one seeds ever matched-up for a live play in the Bahamas or even the Caribbean region. The tournament, which is offering a cash prize of $100,000, will honour four outstanding Bahamian female players - Edith Powell, Vicki Knowles-Andrews, Lady Edith Turnquest and Lady Margaret Symonette. A banquet is set for Saturday, March 10, when they will be inducted into the Bahamas Open Tennis Hall of Fame. The singles and doubles champions and runners-up will receive specially designed trophies with their names engraved on it.