MADRID, SPAIN (TICKER) — Monica Seles makes her claycourt debut this week at the $170,000 Madrid Open, a final tuneup for next week’s French Open.
Seles has not played since the Tennis Masters Series event at Indian Wells in March due to a continuing foot injury. She went 17-2 on clay last season, winning one title and reaching the quarterfinals at the French Open.
The top seed from the United States, Seles owns one title this season (the IGA U.S. Indoors), and had advanced to the quarterfinals or better in four events before getting injured.
In 1992, Seles defeated Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain in three sets in the final here. Sanchez-Vicario, the second seed, is coming off three straight quarterfinal finishes at Hamburg, Berlin and Rome. She has won 13 of 18 matches on clay this season, winning at the Porto Ladies Open in Portugal in April.
Seles and Sanchez-Vicario both received first-round byes.
Sandrine Testud of France is seeded third, followed by American Amy Frazier, Barbara Schett of Austria, Lisa Raymond of the United States and Angeles Montolio of Spain.
Frazier makes her first appearance on the European claycourt season Monday when she plays countrywoman Kristina Brandi. She has not played since reaching the quarterfinals at the Family Circle Cup at Charleston.
Also, Schett faces Maria Jose Martinez of Spain, Raymond battles American Jennifer Hopkins, Montolio encounters Mariana Diaz-Oliva of Argentina, and Jill Craybas of the United States battles Ukraine’s Julia Vakulenko.
First prize is $27,000.