Tennis: Bartoli doubts for Classic

Tournament director Richard Palmer is not holding his breath as he awaits confirmation that Marion Bartoli will be back to defend her title at this summer's classic.

He says the people now looking after her interests have unrealistic expectations which he cannot meet.

But he remains hopeful that Bartoli, 24th in the most recent rankings, who achieved her first singles win on the women's WTA tour at last summer's ASB Classic, will be back for the January 1-6 tournament.

Unlike in years past, players are not obliged to defend titles although many, especially those winning for the first time, tend to return.

Palmer is having difficulty getting his search for players started but will have a clearer indication of whom he will be able to chase when the new ranking list comes out next week.

"In having our bid for an exemption which would have allowed us to seek a top-10 player turned down, we have to set our sights on those ranked between 11 and 20," he said. "That is a little annoying as I'm sure a player like Nadia Petrova would have been interested in coming back.

"But, given her current ranking of seven that is unlikely, as a tier three tournament like Gold Coast - we are tier four - will have first call.

"Already five of the top 10 players have committed to the Hong Kong exhibition at the same time, which makes our chance of getting a really top player even slimmer."

Palmer will, however, still have access to some top players, and Anastasia Myskina (ranked 13), Mary Pierce (18), Daniela Hantuchova (19), Katarina Srebotnik (25), Vera Zvonareva (28) and Maria Kirilenko (29) are surely on his wish-list.