Family Circle Cup Player Field Complete

Players from 24 Nations, Including Six Former Cup Champions, Headed to Charleston

CHARLESTON, SC – March 1, 2012 – The 2012 Family Circle Cup singles player field has been officially provided to the tournament by the WTA. The main draw contains players from 24 countries, and is highlighted by six former Cup champions, including Samantha Stosur (2010), Sabine Lisicki (2009), Serena Williams (2008), Jelena Jankovic (2007), Nadia Petrova (2006), and Venus Williams (2004).  Marking the tournament’s 40th year, the Family Circle Cup will be held March 31 – April 8, 2012 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in the Best Tennis Town in America, Charleston, S.C.

“Our world-class player field includes four Top 10 players, nine of the Top 20, Venus Williams, and incredible depth provided by many of the young stars of tomorrow,” said Eleanor Adams, Family Circle Cup Tournament Manager.  “We’re so glad to have six former champions return for our 40th year celebration, and we know that our fans will be thrilled to watch one of the most exciting draws we’ve had in Charleston unfold.”

Four players had previously committed to the Family Circle Cup and have been announced by the tournament, including Samantha Stosur, Vera Zvonareva, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams.

Player                                                             Nation Rank   

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA                           POL     5          Poland

SAMANTHA STOSUR            (2010 Champ) AUS     6         Australia

MARION BARTOLI                                        FRA     7          France

VERA ZVONAREVA                                       RUS     9          Russia

SERENA WILLIAMS              (2008 Champ) USA     11        United States

SABINE LISICKI                    (2009 Champ) GER     13        Germany

JELENA JANKOVIC              (2007 Champ) SRB     14        Serbia

JULIA GOERGES                                          GER     16        Germany

SHUAI PENG                                                 CHN    19        China

YANINA WICKMAYER                                    BEL     24        Belgium

LUCIE SAFAROVA                                        CZE     25        Czech Republic

ANABEL MEDINA GARRIGUES                  ESP      26        Spain

NADIA PETROVA                  (2006 Champ) RUS     32        Russia

JIE ZHENG                                                     CHN    33        China

CHRISTINA MCHALE                                   USA     34        United States

POLONA HERCOG                                        SLO     38        Slovenia

JARMILA GAJDOSOVA                                AUS     45        Australia

MARINA ERAKOVIC                                     NZL     46&nbsp
;       New Zealand

CHANELLE SCHEEPERS                            RSA     47        South Africa

TAMIRA PASZEK                                          AUT    49        Austria

GALINA VOSKOBOEVA                               KAZ    52        Kazakhstan

IRINA-CAMELIA BEGU                                ROU    53        Romania

ELENA VESNINA                                          RUS     54        Russia

BARBORA ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA        CZE     56        Czech Republic

VANIA KING                                                 USA     58        United States

LUCIE HRADECKA                                       CZE     59        Czech Republic

ANNA CHAKVETADZE                                RUS     60 SR   Russia

ROMINA OPRANDI                                       SUI      63        Switzerland

ANASTASIYA YAKIMOVA                          BLR     64        Belarus

GRETA ARN                                                   HUN    65        Hungary

AYUMI MORITA                                            JPN      70        Japan

KATERYNA BONDARENKO                                    UKR    71        Ukraine

KIMIKO DATE-KRUMM                               JPN      73        Japan

ANNA TATISHVILI                                       GEO    74        Georgia

JELENA DOKIC                                             AUS     76        Australia

BETHANIE MATTEK-SANDS                       USA     77        United States

OLGA GOVORTSOVA                                   BLR     78        Belarus

ELENI DANIILIDOU                                      GRE     81        Greece

VENUS WILLIAMS  (WC)      (2004 Champ)            USA     135      United States

For information onTicket Packages, Individual Session Tickets, Travel Packages, TeamGetaways, visit FamilyCircleCup.com/Tickets.

About The Family Circle Cup
The Family CircleTennis Center, home of the Family Circle Cup and World Tea
mTennis FinalsWeekend, is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston andoperated by Meredith Corporation that also hostsa variety of additional events including concerts, festivals, tennistournaments and other activities throughout the year.  The Tennis Centerfeatures a 10,200 seat stadium, Grand Lawn, 17 tennis courts lightedfor night play, Pro Shop, and a full serviceevent management staff capable of handling all aspects of an eventincluding ticketing, operations, sales, marketing, public relations, andfood & beverage.  Charleston, South Carolina was named was namedthe “No. 1 tourist destination in America” in the 2011Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards, and Charleston was alsovoted the “Best Tennis Town in America” in a 2010 USTA contest.

The Family Circle Cup is the largest women’s only tennis tournament in the world, andFamily Circle is the longest running title sponsor of a sportingevent in the United States, as well as in all of professional tennis,world-wide.  With over 21 million readers, Family Circle is one of themost widely read monthly magazines in Americaand is one of 14 leading subscription magazines owned by MeredithCorporation, which speaks to 80 million women nationwide.  The FamilyCircle Cup receives four days of live broadcast domestically on ESPN2,and is viewed internationally in over 25 countries,featuring over 200 hours of live and delayed global broadcast time,reaching 8.54 million viewers worldwide.