Last year the very tournament shot Sania Mirza's fame to sky, when she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, then US Open Champion. Sania entered last year draw as wild card.
Martina Hingis, who won the inaugural Dubai Tennis Championship title in 2001, returned to tennis in January after her three year absence due to leg injury. Swiss Miss is ranked 48 after her excellent performance in Australian Open where she advanced to quarterfinals and beat Maria Sharapova in the semifinals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Sania Mirza has a tough draw, as she may meet former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina if she went past Martina Hingis and has the prospect of meeting Maria Sharapova in the quarter finals if she runs through Myskina.
Dubai Duty Free Women's Open is a WTA Tier-II outdoor hardcourt event with the prize money of US$ one million. Also top four seeded players - defending champion and world number 1 Lindsay Davenport, Australian Open winner Amelie Mauresmo, Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin-Hardenne - all received first-round byes in the 32-player event that starts on Monday - 20th February
