By TERRY MADDAFORD
The love affair which Frenchwomen have had with Auckland's international tennis tournament is set to continue.
Two of this year's top three seeds, Sandrine Testud (No 1) and Nathalie Dechy (No 3), are French and will be attempting to join countrywoman Julie Halard-Decugis as a winner of the ASB Bank Classic, which starts on the Stanley St courts this morning.
Emilie Loit and Sarah Pitowski add further strength to the French challenge. Pitowski's first-round clash with the world's top junior and fledgling professional Maria Emilia Salerni, of Argentina, is certain to attract plenty of attention.
The history book might be tipped against Testud and in favour of Dechy.
Two years ago Halard-Decugis, the tournament's third seed, beat top seed Dominique Van Roost in the final.
Testud has yet to win a tournament in which she has been the top seed.
The European influence is strong, with four of the eight seeds from that part of the world, but Americans also have a strong hand, with six players, including fourth seed Kristina Brandi and eighth seed Lilia Osterloh.
Brandi meets another American, Meilen Tu first, and with Osterloh to play a qualifier, they could meet as early as the quarter-finals.
Tournament director Richard Palmer is pleased with the final field, despite the absence of really big names. The top eight seeds were all in the world's top 43. "That is as good as we have ever had," he said.
Defending champion Anne Kremer is seeded fifth this time. If she beats Switzerland's Emmanuelle Gagliardi first she could face unseeded American Corina Morariu in the second round.
Morariu, ranked 51st in the world, just missed a seeding and ranks as by no means a forlorn hope, while Barbara Schett, the Austrian second seed playing here for the fifth time, begins her quest for a first Classic singles - to go with the doubles crown she won in 1998 - with a first-round meeting with New Zealand's sole hope, Leanne Baker.
The remaining four players into the main draw will be found from the four third-round qualifying matches today. No Kiwis have made it through.
The singles and doubles finals will be played on Saturday. Sunday has been set aside as a reserve day.
Tennis: Gallic flair on show in Classic
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