Zurich Tennis tournament opens without Maria Sharapova
The Zurich Open women`s event opens this year without two popular crowd-pullers - defending champion Maria Sharapova of Russia and Switzerland`s Martina Hingis.
Sharapova withdrew on Sunday - the eve of the tournament - with a lingering shoulder injury, while Hingis pulled out with a recurring hip problem that has ended her season.
World number one Justine Henin from Belgium is top seed at the event, which is Europe`s most important indoor women`s tournament with prize money of $1.3 million (SFr1.53 million).
Henin was champion on her last visit to the Hallenstadion and has eight title triumphs this year, including Roland Garros (France) and Flushing Meadows (Unites States).
Other seeds include Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, and Serena Williams of the US. Patty Schnyder and Timea Bacsinszky will be flying the flag for Switzerland.
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