Nov.27 - Nine out of top ten Asian female players are set to star in the 15th Asian Games tennis tournament to be running from December 4 to 14 at Doha, Qatar.

 

With the regular 2006 WTA season ended up with the November 7-12 year-end Championships, nine of the top ten Asian female players except Japan's Asian number two Ai Sugiyama have confirmed participation in the continental jamboree.

 

Chinese female number one Li Na, ranked 21st in the world now, has toppled Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama to be the Asian number one. She has notched up many impressive wins over the world top 10 players en route to the best 20th ranking in August this season, including her imperious run to the last eight at Wimbledon this year.

 

China's hopes of claiming the women's singles title was further boosted as the top favorite was strengthened by fellow Chinese Zheng Jie, a specialist in doubles event but also among the best singles players in Asia.

 

Ranked 33rd in the world, the 23-year-old partnered another Chinese Yan Zi to crown at six tournaments this year including the Australian Open and Wimbledon, becoming the first Chinese Grand Slam champions in tennis history.

 

Having failed to win any of the seven tennis titles at the 14th Asian Games in Busan,South Korea four years ago, China is determined to put the record straight through the women's events.

 

While Aiko Nakamura from Japan and Indian rising star Sania Mirza will lead the main charge towards the Chinese contingent.

 

The 23-year-old Japanese, who is ranked fifth in Asia and 58th in the world, posed main threat following Ai Sugiyama's decision of pulling out from Doha.

 

Sixth-ranked in Asia, Mirza is hoping for a turning point after a disappointing year.

 

The 67th-ranked woman, who is famous for her nose ring, has had a patchy season. She has only won one Grand Slam singles match in 2006 and has made little impact elsewhere on the Women's Tennis Association Tour.