Tennis: Vesnina confirmed for ASB Classic

Beaten ASB Classic finalist Elena Vesnina has been confirmed for next year's tournament. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Improving Russian tennis player Elena Vesnina, the beaten finalist in the 2009 ASB Classic, has confirmed her return for January's tournament.

Vesnina returns to Auckland in the New Year as the world No 22 - a drastic improvement on her ranking of 79 when she started this year's tournament.

The 23-year-old belied her modest rating to reach the title decider where she was beaten by top 10-ranked compatriot Elena Dementieva.

Vesnina has fond memories of New Zealand - a buildup tournament for the Australian Open - as it represented the first time she had made a WTA final in her career.

"I have very good feelings about this tournament," Vesnina said from Moscow, where she is preparing for next week's Kremlin Cup.

"After this tournament I had a great year, very successful."

Her ground-breaking performance in Auckland was by followed by a fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon - the first time she had progressed past the first round.

She also made a second WTA final in New Haven after beating Amelie Mauresmo in the semifinals - the performance she rated as her best of an injury-plagued season.

Vesnina also progressed to her first ever doubles final this year at the French Open at Roland Garros with partner Victoria Azarenka - in only their third tournament as a combination.

She is also a member of Russia's strong Fed Cup team and represented her country in doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Vesnina is the latest big name to confirm her participation in the US$220,000 ($304,709) tournament following the world No 1 ranked double pair of Cara Black (Zimbabwe) and Liezel Huber (United States).

The ASB Classic runs from January 4-9.

Organisers expect to announce further players in the upcoming weeks.

Former world No 1 Justine Henin, who makes her return to the tour from retirement next season, is the prime target though the Belgian may opt for a warm-up tournament in Australia ahead of her Grand Slam comeback in Melbourne in January.

Dementieva will not be back to defend her title.

- NZPA