Berlin, Germany) – Tunisian Ons Jabeur and Greek Maria Sakkari will be the main seeds for the WTA 500 in Berlin, which will be played on grass next week. The strong tournament in the German capital has attracted five players from the current top 10. Besides the two favorites, Aryna Sabalenka, Karolina Pliskova and Garbiñe Muguruza are also playing.

World number 4, Jabeur makes her debut against the Czech Karolina Muchova, former top 20 and who evolves with a protected classification. The Czech currently appears in 81st place. Whoever wins can face the Chinese Qinwen Zheng or a tennis player coming from qual. In the same quadrant is tenth-ranked Garbiñe Muguruza, who makes her debut against Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.

Main draw in Berlin (WTA 500), where Ons Jabeur, Maria Sakkari, Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Pliskova are the top seeds.

Muguruza, Gauff, Bencic, Andreescu also in the draw.

Jabeur opens against Karolina Muchova. pic.twitter.com/ow4iqaaQ4c

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) June 12, 2022

Still at the top of the table, the Czech Karolina Pliskova will have a difficult start against the Estonian Kaia Kanepi. The winner will be able to face the Czech Katerina Siniakova or the Canadian Bianca Andreescu, another with a protected ranking in the tournament. Roland Garros runner-up Coco Gauff, 18, is the 7th seed at the event and makes her debut in a North American duel against Ann Li.

Second seed and world number 5, Maria Sakkari makes her debut against a tennis player from the qualifications. And if he wins, he can face the Swiss Jil Teichmann or another athlete from the previous phase. The quadrant still has Daria Kasatkina, who makes her debut against Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina.

Aryna Sabalenka makes her debut against Veronika Kudermetova. The winner will be able to face the Russian Liudmila Samsonova, current champion of the event, who will face the Slovenian Tamara Zidansek. The quarter also includes the Swiss Belinda Bencic, finalist last year, who faces the local guest Jule Niemeier.

Lisicki falls in the last qualifying lap
Invited to compete in the qualifying round of the WTA 500 in Berlin, the former world number 12 Sabine Lisicki was overtaken in the final round. After a victory last Saturday, the 2013 Wimbledon finalist lost to Australian Daria Saville, ranked 104th, 6/0 and 7/6 (9-7). Lisicki has good results on grass but also a long injury history. The most recent was a cruciate ligament in her left knee that left her out of action for nearly 18 months.