World number one Dinara Safina’s stellar 2009 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season will include a ticket to the prestigious Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha.
The tournament will take place for the second year in a row at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Qatar, from October 27-November 1, 2009.
The world’s top eight singles players and top four doubles teams from the 2009 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season will compete for the coveted Sony Ericsson Championships title and a share of the record Championships prize money of $4.45 million.
Safina, a Russian sensation from Moscow, will make her second appearance at the Sony Ericsson Championships, having previously qualified for the event last year. Safina is enjoying a spectacular 2009 season during which she attained the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career on April 20, won back-to-back titles at Premier events Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open, a title win at the Banka Koper Slovenia Open, reached the finals of the Australian Open and Roland Garros, and the semifinals at Wimbledon.
“Qualifying for the year-end Sony Ericsson Championships is one of the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year,” said World No.1 Dinara Safina. “I’ve accomplished a lot of milestones this season and am thrilled to be the first to qualify for the Championships. I look forward to returning to Doha and competing again for the Sony Ericsson Championships title.”
Since becoming World No.1, Safina has a 34-4 match record and her 16-match winning streak is the best on the Tour this season. Safina’s 2009 season comes on the heels of a career 2008 year during which she won four Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles, in addition to winning the coveted US Open Series presented by Olympus and a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. Since 2008, Safina’s ranking has vaulted from No.17 to the current World No.1.
“Dinara has achieved great results this year and earned her spot as the first player to qualify for the Sony Ericsson Championships,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. “Dinara’s impressive performance this year has included a terrific run which started in the spring and included winning three tournament titles and reaching the pinnacle of the sport as the World No.1 along the way.”
To date, Safina has won 12 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles, and is projected to pass the $9 million mark in career prize this year.
