KEY POINTS:
1. Elena Dementieva
World ranking: 4
Nationality: Russian
Age: 27
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Titles: 11
Prize money: US$10,627,266
Bio: The reigning Olympic champion, Dementieva has been a feature in the top 20 for the past eight seasons. A runner-up in the French and US Opens in 2004, she is yet to claim a Grand Slam title but has 11 WTA titles and over US$ 10 million in prize money to her credit.
2. Caroline Wozniaki
World ranking: 12
Age: 18
Nationality: Danish
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Titles: 3
Prize money: US$878,808
Bio: A fast-rising glamour girl, Wozniacki claimed her first three titles last season as her ranking rocketed from 64 to 12. Performed consistently in the Slams, making the third round at the French and Wimbledon and the fourth at the Australian and US Opens. Had never beaten a top 20 player previously but last year but claimed 10 top 20 scalps to confirm her place among the game's elite.
3. Anabel Medina Garrigues
World ranking: 22
Age: 26
Nationality: Spain
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Titles: 8
Prize money: US$2,597,864
Bio: A top-50 player for the last five seasons, the Spaniard is making her fifth appearance in Auckland. Her best result came at her first attempt in 2002, when she made the quarters before being beaten by Anna Smashnova. She made a first round exit in 2003 and 2004 and last year made the second round, where she inflicted the only set loss on eventual champion Lindsay Davenport before losing in three sets.
4. Aleksandra Wozniak
World ranking: 34
Age: 21
Nationality: Canadian
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Titles: 1
Prize money: US$511,212
Bio: Improved 96 places in 2008, winning her first title as a qualifier at Stanford, beating Serena Williams and Marion Bartoli along the way. The first Quebec woman ever to win a WTA title, her home town of Blainville was renamed Wozniakville for 24 hours as part of the celebrations.
5. Shahar Peer
World ranking: 38
Age: 21
Nationality: Israeli
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Titles: 3
Prize money: US$2,100,994
Bio: An ever-present in the top 50 since 2005, the Israeli has made the quarterfinals of the Australian and US Opens. Became the first Israeli to play in an Arab state when she played in Doha last year. A quarterfinalist in Auckland in 2005 as a qualifier.
6. Nicole Vaidisova
World ranking: 41
Age: 19
Nationality: Czech
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Titles: 6
Prize money: $2,603,935
Bio: The youngest player to earn US$1 million in prize money, Vaidisova won her first WTA title as a 15-year-old in 2004 and picked up three more titles in successive weeks the following year. Ranking peaked at seven in 2007 but tumbled to 41 last year as she posted a 19-19 mark in singles.
7. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
World ranking: 46
Age: 17
Nationality: Russian
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Titles: None
Prize money: US$265,097
Bio: Another youngster coming off a breakthrough season, the Russian's ranking soared a remarkable 156 places in 2008. Won four titles on the ITF circuit and a WTA title in doubles at Fez, Morocco. Outstanding junior pedigree, with three Grand Slam titles to her credit.
8. Carla Suarez Navarro
World ranking: 50
Age:20
Nationality: Spanish
Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Titles: None
Prize money: US$347,975
Bio: A shock quarter-finalist at Rolland Garros as a qualifier, she was another big mover in 2007, going from 169 to 50 in the rankings. Defeated local favourite Amelie Mauresmo in Paris before eventually going down to Jelena Jankovic. That run catapulted her up the rankings and she solidified her ranking with two more WTA quarter-finals and a semifinal in Colombia.
