Shahar Peer and Daniela Hantuchova Enter Family Circle Cup

Written by: Staff on 16th February 2011

Shahar Peer and Daniela Hantuchova Enter Family Circle Cup

Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) |

World No. 11 Shahar Peer along side, Daniela Hantuchova, have officially entered the 2011 Family Circle Cup. Peer, whose world ranking has set a new record for a player from Israel, joins World No. 5 and defending champion Samantha Stosur, Jelena Jankovic, Maria Sharapova, Daniela Hantuchova, and Melanie Oudin in a stellar player field assembling on Daniel Island. Marking the tournament’s 39th consecutive year, the Family Circle Cup is scheduled April 2-10, 2011 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in the Best Tennis Town in America, Charleston, SC.

“I’ve really enjoyed competing at the Family Circle Cup, and I’m excited to return to Charleston this spring,” commented Peer. “I’ve received a lot of fan support at this event, so I’m looking forward to participating in this historic tournament again.”

Throughout her 8-year WTA career, Peer has notched five singles titles, 309 singles victories, over $3.7 million in prize money, and posted three Top 20 seasons. She has also competed on the Israeli Fed Cup Team from 2002-2009 and 2011, and her nation’s Olympic Team in 2008.

The 23-year-old’s 2010 season was highlighted by reaching the finals at Hobart, third round at the Australian Open, fourth round at both Roland Garros and the US Open, and setting the Israeli ranking record as the year-end World No. 13 player.

Peer has continued her success into 2011, reaching the third round at the Australian Open, and improving her personal best and Israeli mark to World No. 11 on January 31st.

Her philanthropic involvement centers around the Foundation for the Advancement of Excellent Youth, Peer’s charitable organization designed to assist outstanding youth in Israel. Each year, this foundation supports a number of extremely talented children with the potential to achieve excellence and become successful in their field. Peer’s official web site is www.shaharpeer.co.il.

Peer was the Family Circle Cup’s No. 5 seed in 2007, unseeded in 2005, and despite a 0-2 record in Charleston, she has accumulated $10,530 in prize money at this event.

Peer’s entrance comes just after Daniela Hantuchova entered the tournament too. Family Circle Cup Tournament Manager, Eleanor Adams, had simliar kind words to Daniela too, “she is a very skilled and talented WTA veteran, we congratulate her for the Pattaya City victory, and we look forward to her competing in Charleston.”

Hantuchova’s career started in 1999 and she has notched four singles titles, 421 singles victories, over $7.2 million in prize money, and posted eight Top 30 seasons in the last nine years. She has achieved a career-high World No. 5 singles and doubles ranking during her tenure. Hantuchova has also competed on the Slovak Fed Cup Team from 1999-2003, 2006-07 and 2009-2011, as well as and her nation’s Olympic Team in 2004 and 2008.

The 27-year-old’s 2010 season was highlighted by reaching the finals at Monterrey, semifinals at Charleston, San Diego, and Bali, as well as advancing to the third round at the Australian Open and US Open, and the fourth round at Roland Garros. Hantuchova has continued her success into 2011, winning the Pattaya City event on February 13^th, and improving her world ranking from No. 32 to No. 29 as of February 14^th WTA rankings.

Hantuchova’s philanthropic involvement centers on health and education. In November of 2010, she spent two days at a Hungary photo shoot for a 2011 calendar, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting a children’s hospital in Cambodia that specializes in juvenile HIV treatment, called House of the Smile.

With her international appeal transcending the game, she appeared in the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, alongside fellow WTA stars Maria Kirilenko and Tatiana Golovin, in a pictorial entitled Volley of the Dolls. Hantuchova’s official web site is http://www.danielahantuchova.com/

With a 7-3 singles record and 2-2 doubles record in Charleston, she has accumulated $69,200 in prize money at this event. Hantuchova was the Family Circle Cup’s No. 8 seed in 2010, where she reached the semifinals, No. 5 seed in 2003, where she reached the quarterfinals, and No. 11 seed in 2005, where she reached the 2^nd round.

“I was really hungry to get another title. I was focused and aggressive from the start. I won the whole tournament in straight sets, which is a good sign,” said Hantuchova. “I hope to play just as well in Charleston, and take my shot at this historic title.”

Topics: Daniela Hantuchova