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Bethanie Mattek-Sands is going all-out on her comeback to tennis, following up her Hopman Cup appearance with a place in the WTA event in Hobart. The American has for months now been Tweeting her desire to get back to the courts after an injury run which has prevented her from playing since the US Open.
She and Mardy Fish will headline for the US at the eight-nation Hopman Cup in Perth over the New Year, with the No. 55 then traveling to Tasmania, where she joins a pre-Australian Open field headed by Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, defending champion and Australia’s No.2 Jarmila Gajdosova.
Also entered: former champions Anna Chakvetadze (2007) and China’s Jie Zheng (2005).
The lineup can only delight officials of the small event whose future has never been totally secure. “We have a terrific line up of depth and talent assembled for the 2012 event with many former champions and Grand Slam finalists among the playing group,” said tournament director Mark Handley.
“The competition will be fierce and will provide a wonderful opportunity for sporting fans of Tasmania to witness the players apply the finishing touches to their games ahead of the Australian Open.”
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Topics: BETHANIE Mattek-Sands