Tennis: Classic organisers hoping best is yet to come

ASB Classic organisers are hopeful they are yet to announce their top seed for the Auckland tennis tournament in January.

Italian Flavia Pennetta, the world No 12, was today confirmed for the WTA event, making her the highest ranked player in the field at the moment.

However, three others ranked above Pennetta remain in tournament director Brenda Perry's sights - Serb Jelena Jankovic, Pole Agnieszka Radwanska and Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, the world Nos 8, 10 and 11 respectively.

Jankovic and Bartoli are also former Classic winners.

With entries closing next Tuesday, those three - along with world No 1 Serena Williams, who would not be a realistic option for Auckland - are the only leading players still available.

"Until next Tuesday, anything and everything is possible and I'm going to keep trying," Perry said.

Pennetta, 27, is coming off a great year in which she won two titles and beat a number of top-ranked players.

Her first title was at Palermo in Italy, where she defeated countrywoman Sara Errani in the final.

Her other success was in Los Angeles, where she downed Russians Nadia Petrova, Vera Zvonareva and Maria Sharapova, before overcoming Australian Sam Stosur for the title.

Those results culminated in a career-high ranking at the end of August of No 10, making her the first Italian to reach that mark.

Pennetta continued her good form in her following two tournaments with semifinal appearances at Cincinnati and at New Haven.

In the latter event, she got past Venus Williams to give her a 4-3 lead in head-to-head clashes between the pair.

The following week she reached the quarterfinals of the United States Open for a second year in a row with a three-set win over Zvonareva before being beaten by Serena Williams.

She finished the season on a high, helping hosts Italy to a 4-0 victory over the United States in the Fed Cup final this month.

Perry was delighted to sign up Pennetta, who has won eight singles and six doubles titles in her WTA career.

"She brings classiness and a bit of pizzazz," Perry said.

"She's entertaining and colourful, and she speaks her mind."

It will Pennetta's first appearance in the Classic's main draw, but not the first time she has played in Auckland.

She reached the last round of qualifying in 2003 when she was ranked in the 90s.

- NZPA