Former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina who scored a double whammy in the inaugural edition of the Sunfeast Open last year, winning both the singles and doubles (with Elena Likhovtseva) titles, is unlikely to defend her crown this year.
On the sidelines of the first press briefing in the lead up to the September 18-24 Tier III tourney, Tournament Director Jaidip Mukerjea said: “I don’t see Myskina coming this year. She doesn’t play many tournaments these days and is unlikely to defend her crown here. However, we expect a lot of other Russians this time. They will not have any Fed Cup commitments after being relegated from the elite league last year.”
So with Myskina unlikely to make an appearance, what other big names can the fans look forward to this time? “It’s too early to confirm the names. The picture will only become clear after Wimbledon,” Globosport MD Mahesh Bhupathi said.