Stars head to Shah Alam with different missions

2009/11/29

By AJITPAL SINGH

WORLD No 5 Elena Dementieva, after a successful season on the WTA Tour, is expected to shine in the Showdown of Champions 2009 -- Asia versus Russia -- at the Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam on Dec 19-20. The Russian started the year by winning singles titles in Auckland and Sydney ahead of the Australian Open, before earning her 14th WTA Tour win in Toronto.

Elena, 28, the 2008 Olympics gold medallist, however has never won a Grand Slam title and the player, who is based in Monaco, hopes to bag a major next year.

Joining her in the exhibition competition is compatriot Maria Kirilenko.

The World No 63 was touted as a future champion after winning five WTA Tour titles last year but since then, the 22-year-old has failed to live up to expectations.

Maria was bogged with illness and injuries at the start of the year but produced glimpses of her true form in the Barcelona Open by reaching the final in April.

Sania Mirza is one of India’s most popular sportswoman.

China's Zheng Jie and India's Sania Mirza will represent Asia in the competition.

Zheng Jie, the World No 36, is the second highest ranked China player on the WTA Tour after Li Na (World No 15).

Zheng Jie is one of the best doubles players in the world having won 11 titles -- including the 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon.

In singles, the 26-year-old reached the semi-finals of last year's Wimbledon, the first China player to do so.

Zheng Jie's performance this year has been downward because of a wrist injury.

Sania, the World No 58, is one of India's most popular sportswoman.

Her claim to fame this year was winning the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi.

The 23-year-old also won the singles title at the Lexington Challenger.

The exhibition's format of play will be two singles and one doubles.

Tickets, priced between RM48 and RM208, are available at www.tickethotline.com.my.