Istanbul, Turkey will host World’s best 8 women tennis players, as the # 2 seated Maria Sharapova can become world No. 1 with victory over Caroline Wozniacki at the WTA Championships.

Istanbul / NationalTurk – 2011’s Top 8 women will descend upon Istanbul, Turkey for the season-ending finalé that is the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships. Held in the cosmopolitan city of Istanbul from October 25 to 30, the players will compete for the largest prize money purse on the WTA calendar: $4,900,000 !

Kim Clijsters completed a dream season by capturing the title last year in Doha, Qatar, where the event was held from 2008 to 2010. This year the tournament will be played at the Sinam Erdem Arena in Istanbul. Martina Navratilova has the tournament record with eight singles titles.

There will be in-depth coverage of the event on our website and the official tournament site. There will also be regular updates on our Facebook page and Twitter. For player interviews and exclusive off-court footage, visit our YouTube channel.

Istanbul the perfect stepping stone for Wozniacki

Maria Sharapova knows she must hit the ground running as she bids to end the year as world No.1 at the WTA Championships in Turkey. The three-time grand slam champion finished the last year at the top of the world rankings as a 17-year-old back in 2004, but she now has the chance to usurp Caroline Wozniacki at the top of the pile.

The pair will not meet until at least the semi-finals in Istanbul, with world No. 2 Sharapova drawn in the White Group, while Wozniacki heads the Red Group.

WTA Championships Istanbul Draw

Russian beauty Maria Sharapova, whose boyfriend Sasha Vujacic plays for Anadolu Efes Istanbul, will face Victoria Azarenka, Li Na and Sam Stosur in the round-robin stages, while Wozniacki has been drawn to play new world No. 3 Petra Kvitova, Vera Zvonareva and Agnieszka Radwanska.

Maria Sharapova in Istanbul

Maria Sharapova is making her fifth appearance at the year-end finals, and she knows she cannot afford to play her way into form.

“I think we all know what to expect going into the groups,” she said. “It’s the top eight girls of the year. You’re going to get a tough group either way and tough opponents. It’s just a matter of being ready from the first match on.”

Azarenka is one of the in-form players after she did not drop a set on her way to the title in Luxembourg, and she is hoping to carry her momentum into the final event of the year.

“I was improving from match to match,” Azarenka said after winning her third title of the year. “I came here to get matches before Istanbul and of course win the tournament – everywhere I enter, I try to be the best.”

Players held a moment of silence in the draw for the people perished in the Earthquake that has shaken eastern Turkey and the last weeks terrorists attacks that claimed the lives of 24 people.

Red Group
1. Caroline Wozniacki
3. Petra Kvitova
6. Vera Zvonareva
8. Agnieska Radwanska
White Group
2. Maria Sharapova
4. Victoria Azarenka
5. Li Na
7. Sam Stosur

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