RACE TO THE SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS
UPDATE: Monday, September 10, 2007

US Open finalist Kuznetsova now third singles player named and second placed team Raymond and Stosur inch closer to qualification.

The 40^th staging of the US Open in the professional era provided players with more precious Race Points in their respective bids to qualify for the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Madrid’s Recinto Ferial Casa De Campo during November 6-11.  With the huge points on offer it was a chance for players to make significant moves or solidify their position.  Tournament champion Justine Henin increased her lead by almost 1,000 points at the top, while runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova rose to No. 3 on the race and became the event’s third singles qualifier by reaching the semifinals.  No. 4 Ana Ivanovic could qualify with a strong showing in her next scheduled tournament in Luxembourg the week of September 24.  Other leading movers on this week’s points Race were Anna Chakvetadze from No. 7 to No. 5 thanks to her semifinal result, Marion Bartoli from No. 11 to 9 and quarterfinalist Shahar Peer moving back into the Top 15, up four spots from No. 17.  With eight weeks left in the regular Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season, the battle for the last six remaining singles spots in the Sony Ericsson Championships is gathering momentum.

On the Doubles Team standings, US Open semifinalists Kveta Peschke & Rennae Stubbs made the only significant movement in the Top eight, moving up one place from No. 7 to No. 6.  The Top four positions remain unchanged.  Second placed Lisa Raymond and Sam Stosur look likely qualify very soon with an almost 600-point lead over recent US Open finalists from Chinese-Taipei Yung-Jan Chan and Chia-Jung Chuang.
 

The Sony Ericsson Championships will gather the Top 8 singles players and Top 4 doubles teams from the regular 2007 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season as they battle it out for the season-ending titles and a share of the $3-million prize purse. The defending champions are Justine Henin (singles) and Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur (doubles). The Sony Ericsson Championships will be played for the first time at Madrid Arena, November 6-11, 2007.

SONY ERICISSON CHAMPIONSHIPS WEB SITE (English and Spanish)
www.sonyericsson-championships.com

SONY ERICISSON CHAMPIONSHIPS MEDIA CREDENTIAL
http://www.sonyericsson-championships.com/3/en/press/

SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS POINTS STANDINGS
As of September 10, 2007
SINGLES
(previous position in parentheses | ** indicates players already qualified)

1. (1) HENIN, Justine (BEL) 4675**

2. (2) JANKOVIC, Jelena (SRB)  3725**

3. (4) KUZNETSOVA, Svetlana (RUS) 3246**

4. (3) IVANOVIC, Ana (SRB) 2847

5. (7) CHAKVETADZE, Anna (RUS) 2556

6. (4) SHARAPOVA, Maria (RUS) 2430

7. (6) WILLIAMS, Serena (USA) 2391

8. (8) WILLIAMS, Venus  (USA) 2190

9. (11) BARTOLI, Marion  (FRA) 1802

10. (9) PETROVA, Nadia  (RUS) 1788

11. (10) HANTUCHOVA, Daniela  (SVK) 1686

12. (12) SAFINA, Dinara  (RUS) 1667

13. (17) PEER, Shahar (ISR) 1588

14. (13) SCHNYDER, Patty  (SUI)  1535

15. (14) VAIDISOVA, Nicole  (CZE) 1511

DOUBLES
(previous position in parentheses | ** indicates teams already qualified)
1. (1) Black, Cara (ZIM)  /  Huber, Liezel (USA)  5750**

2. (2) Raymond, Lisa (USA)  /  Stosur, Samantha (AUS)  3628

3. (3) Chuang, Chia-Jung (TPE)  /  Chan, Yung-Jan (TPE)  3036

4. (4) Sugiyama, Ai (JPN)  /  Srebotnik, Katarina (SLO)  2512

5. (5) Molik, Alicia (AUS)  /  Santangelo, Mara (ITA)  2086

6. (7) Peschke, Kveta (CZE)  /  Stubbs, Rennae (AUS)  1697

7. (6) Yan, Zi (CHN)  /  Zheng, Jie (CHN)  1527

8. (10) Szavay, Agnes (HUN)  /  Uhlirova, Vladimira (CZE) 1240