Radwanska, Kvitova, And Bouchard To Lead Draw At Shenzhen Open

All seeds have been announced for 2016 Shenzhen Open; the WTA International tournament will debut on January 4th and could already count on early entries Petra Kvitova and Agnieszka Radwanska. Defending champion Simona Halep renounced to come back to the tournament, choosing to compete as top seed in WTA Premier in Brisbane instead.

Radwanska top seed, Bouchard sets her return

With her victory at the WTA Finals, Agnieszka Radwanska will be the one who competes as the top seed in Shenzhen, with her being the current number five in the circuit. For the Poland number one this is her first appearance in the tournament. For the freshly crowned Fed Cup champion Kvitova, it will be a return, after her run to semifinals in 2015, where she lost by eventual runner-up Timea Bacsinszky in straight sets.

Eugenie Bouchard also signed up for the tournament, despite her statement on being unsure about her participation to the next Australian Open. For the 21-year-old Canadian it would be the second tournament after the U.S. Open accident and her following withdrawal from most of the Asian swing, which lead her to close a disappointing year as number 48 in the ranking.

Other entries

Romanians Irina Camelia Begu and Monica Niculescu will compete as the third and fourth seeds in the tournament. Begu and Niculescu return to Shenzhen after suffering early upsets the year before, being both knocked out on first round by Polona Hercog and Katerina Siniakova respectively.
After losing in first round of qualifications, British rising star Johanna Konta will make her debut in the main draw as fifth seed, followed by Bouchard, Zarina Diyas - who made until quarterfinals in 2015 - and the eighth and final seed Annika Beck, who had been a semifinalist in 2014, but lost in the first round to eventual champion Simona Halep the following year.
2015 semifinalist Zheng Saisai and 2014 semifinalist Vania King will be also featured in the draw.

Li Na set to return for Li Na Kids Day

Two-time champion Li Na - she won the tournament at its debut in 2013 and successfully defended the title in 2014 - will also come back to Shenzhen for the first edition of Li Na Kids Day, an event directed to promote young tennis talents from the Shenzhen area.

“Having been part of Arthur Ashe Kids day in New York”, Li said to Shenzhen Open official website, “I have always wanted to start something similar in China, even more so now that I am a mother, and I am excited to launch this at one of my favorite tournaments, the Shenzhen Open. [...] Even if we help one child win a tough match or inspire one child to play more tennis, we will have succeeded – anything above that will be a bonus.”

Here's the released draw for the tournament.

1. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [5]

2. Petra Kvitova (CZE) [6]

3. Irina Camelia Begu (ROU) [31]

4. Monica Niculescu (ROU) [39]

5. Johanna Konta (GBR) [47]

6. Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) [48]

7. Zarina Diyas (KAZ) [52]

8. Annika Beck (GER) [58]

Timea Babos (HUN) [70]

Olga Govortsova (BLR) [72]

Saisai Zheng (CHN) [73]