Top-20 player Anastasia Myskina has confirmed her entry to play the 2007 ASB Classic featuring the Sovereign singles and doubles, January 1st – 6th, 2007.  One of a group of Russian players who have dominated Grand Slams titles in the past few years, Myskina, 25 was perhaps the first of her countrywoman to make an impact with titles and in the rankings.

Winning the singles title at Roland Garros in 2004 where she beat Elena Dementieva in the final was the higlight of a dream year for Myskina.

At Roland Garros that year, having never advanced past the second round in four attempts she beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 1-6 6-4 8-6 in the fourth round saving match points.  She then defeated Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Dementieva in succession for the title in the first all-Russian Grand Slam final becoming the first female Russian Grand Slam singles champion.

The same year she also became the first Russian to win the Kremlin Cup with former Russian President Boris Yeltsin rushing onto the court to congratulate her while current Russian President Vladimir Putin met her in his office in the Kremlin to offer congratulations.  Yeltsin was also present at the Roland Garros final.

In addition to Roland Garros, Myskina became the first Russian woman in the history of rankings to make it inside the top five in the world.

Myskina currently ranked at 16 will be the second player to have won a Grand Slam singles title to take her place in the ASB Classic after Mary Pierce took part in the event in 2003.

"Myskina will add something special to the ASB Classic.  She’s got a great game which is a little unorthodox at times and she doesn’t mind getting the crowd involved when she plays.

It’s only the second time we’ve had a Grand Slam winner in Auckland and just shows how the tournament rates highly with quality players.  Having both Myskina and Daniela Hantuchova in the Classic will provide plenty of talent for fans to watch," said Tournament Director, Richard Palmer.

Ranked at career-high No 2 in September 2004 (the highest ranking of any player who has competed in Auckland) Myskina has an unconventional game and temperament on court and is not afraid to show her emotion – whether happy or sad.

It’s not often a player with 10 singles titles comes to the ASB Classic and she came close to adding to that list making three finals in 2006 – Istanbul, Eastbourne where she beat Svetlana Kuznetsova but lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne in a third set tie break and the Stockholm final.

She made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon before going down to Amelie Mauresmo in the three sets and had fourth round results at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.  There was also a semifinals appearance at Tokyo.

The two-time Olympian will be playing in the ASB Classic for the first time.

Already confirmed for the tournament is world No 18 and 2006 ASB Classic semifinalist Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.

The 2007 ASB Classic featuring the Sovereign singles and doubles will be held January 1 – 6, 2007 at the ASB Tennis Centre, 1 Tennis Lane, Parnell with qualifying on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st December. 

Tickets for the 2007 ASB Classic go on sale at Ticketek outlets and the ASB Tennis Centre from Monday 20th November.

For more information please contact:
Richard Palmer – ASB Classic Tournament Director
021 675 006
or
Dave Worsley – ASB Classic Media Manager
021 365 224