Tennis: Uphill battle for Kiwi trio in more experienced field

Hard-hitting German player Sabine Lisicki is one of an internationally experienced field that will be tough for the three teenage Kiwis. Picture / Brett Phibbs

The qualifying draw at the ASB Classic is never easy, and it won't be for the three teenage Kiwis.

The trio have limited international play, with Katherine Westbury, 17, highest ranked at 600. She recently won the New Zealand Residentials ahead of Leela Beattie, 16. The third Kiwi is 15-year-old Emily Fanning.

Westbury takes on Auckland veteran Jill Craybas, who has played the tournament 12 times. Craybas has a ranking of 98. Beattie takes on Italian Corinna Dentoni, who is ranked 149, while Fanning, a former Cantabrian based in Australia, faces Briton Katie O'Brien, who is ranked 181.

Top seed in qualifying, which starts at 9.30am today, is Italian Alberta Brianti, ranked at 91. She plays Luxembourg's Mandy Minella in the first match of the day.

Former two-time Wimbledon semifinalist Mirjana Lucic is the second seed at 96 in the world and is up against Argentine Maria Irigoyen.

Other notables include former world No 14 Elena Bovina of Russia, playing Japan's Aiko Nakamura. Former Grand Slam quarter-finalist, hard-hitting German Sabine Lisicki, plays Canadian Stephanie Dubois.

Lisicki, 21 made the quarters at Wimbledon in 2009.

Fellow German Anna-Lena Groenefeld, ranked 166, was a quarter-finalist at Roland Garros in 2006. She plays Czech Vladmira Uhlirova in the first round.

Meanwhile Indian star Sania Mirza takes on Swiss player Stefanie Voegele and the winner of the tournament in 2000, Anne Kremer from Luxembourg, will play for her 11th time in Auckland against Spaniard Silvia Soler Espinosa.

Qualifying will be held today and tomorrow with the final round commencing before the main draw matches on Monday.