Zvonareva and Petrova Head the Fileds in Pattaya

World No 5 Vera Zvonareva

The players met in the fourth round of the Australia Open with Zvonareva coming out on top 7-5, 6-4. Petrova is focused on gaining revenge for that defeat and has been in Pattaya preparing for the event since the last week of January. Zvonareva who will be top-seeded at the tournament arrived yesterday and will be intent on maintaining her dominance over her compatriot. 

The two Russians are seeded to meet in the final of the tournament, but will need to battle hard to overcome some stiff competition especially from the gaggle of teenagers who are pushing towards the top 10. Included in this group are Danish star Caroline Wozniacki currently ranked 13 and winner of 3 WTA tour events in 2008 and Dominika Cibulkova of the Slovak Republic is the third teenager in the group, her mercurial talents can overcome any of the top players on her day. Also in the reckoning is Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn who reached the quarter-final last year falling to eventual champion Agnieska Radwanska.

The tournament qualifying rounds start at 09.00 tomorrow with six Thai players vying for 4 spots in the main draw: Montinee Tangpong, Nudnidda Luangnam, Kanyapat Narattana, Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul, Peangtarn Plipeuch and Nikarat Wateenukit. The final round of qualifying will be held on Monday 9 February. The main draw starts on the same day with the finals being held on Sunday 15 February at 15.00.

The semi-finals and finals will be shown "live" on NBT and T-Sports channels from 15.00 - 17.00 on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 February. In addition the tournament will be shown "live" Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Central and South America and Asia.