Sekar Jagat Spa | Nusa Dua, Bali

The field has been set for the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, a season-ending event for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s top International tournament winners. Marion Bartoli, Samantha Stosur, Yanina Wickmayer, Anabel Medina Garrigues, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Shahar Peer, Melinda Czink, Agnes Szavay, Aravane Rezai and Magdalena Rybarikova have qualified, while Kimiko Date Krumm and Sabine Lisicki have accepted invitations as tournament wildcards to round out the playing field at the inaugural event. Additionally, Vera Dushevina will travel to Bali as an alternate.

Making its debut in Nusa Dua Bali, Indonesia from November 4-8, 2009, the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions features established and next generation stars competing in an innovative 12-woman round robin singles format (four groups of three players), and offers $600,000 in prize money. The top 10 highest-ranked players who have won an International tournament during the 2009 season on the Tour and who are not competing at the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2009 (which features the top eight singles players in the world) qualify for the event.

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Related links: Official site of Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions

The Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic, part of the Sony Ericsson-WTA tour, will run from September 7-14 at the Grand Hyatt Bali in Nusa Dua. With US$225,000 in prize money it is now considered the largest event of its kinds in Southeast Asia.

Among the world’s top players in the tournament:

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA
Reached her first Grand Slam semi-final, at the Australian Open.

FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE
Defeated world number one Justine Henin on her way to the Dubai semi-finals. Reached the French Open doubles final.

PATTY SCHNYDER
Reached the Bangalore final and the quarter-finals of the French Open.

LI NA
Won her second career title, on Australia’s Gold Coast, and beat two top-6 opponents in Doha.

PENG SHUAI
In doubles, defeated Australian Open champions the Bondarenko sisters in Miami and current Wimbledon champions the Williams sisters in Bangalore.

FLAVIA PENNETTA
Upset Venus Williams at the French Open, and won titles in Vina Del Mar and Acapulco.

TAMARINE TANASUGARN
Defeated world number three Jelena Jankovic to become the first Thai to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals. Beat world number nine Dinara Safina at s’Hertogenbosch to win her second career title.

Defending champion Lindsay Davenport could not return this year.

The tournament, a 2007 addition to the worldwide Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, will play its last old format as organizers look to upgrade the tournament level next year, event organizers announced Thursday. Next year will be hold a higher level competition called the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, which will offer more prize money.

Related links: Bali WTA Tour Site