KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's quartet of qualifying hopefuls face tough assignments when the Auckland international event kicks off today.
They have avoided one another, but probably would have preferred to tackle familiar rivals rather than tough opponents from overseas.
The best-ranked of the four, Canterbury's Ellen Barry at No 595, has drawn 2001 champion Meilen Tu, the world No 90 and second seed in qualifying. There is a chasm between the two in terms of experience. It is Barry's first crack at the event; Tu, a 28-year-old from California, has been on the circuit for 12 years.
Auckland's Shona Lee, ranked No 634, appears the best chance when she meets Briton Anne Keothavong, ranked 144.
Kairangi Vano of Auckland and Diane Hollands, the former Otago player now based at North Harbour, also have their work cut out. Neither has a world ranking.
Vano faces sixth-seeded Austrian Yvonne Meusberger, ranked No 135, and Hollands plays fourth seed Lilia Osterloh of the US, a former world No 41 (now No 118) who has pocketed more than US$1 million in 10 years on the WTA circuit.
There is one other former champion in the qualifying draw, Luxembourg's Anne Kremer, the 2000 champion. She has drawn China's Yanchong Chen. The field of 32 are battling for four places in the main draw over the next two days. Top seed for the qualifying tournament is Virginie Razzano (No 88) of France, who plays Belarussian Iryna Kuryanovich today.
