World No.4 Jasmine Paolini is expected to headline a field of five Top 10 players at the WTA 500 Adelaide International, which begins on Jan. 6.
Joining Paolini are Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Daria Kasatkina and Barbora Krejcikova from the Top 10, amidst a grand total of 13 Top 20 players. Click here to view the full list of direct entries.
2024 champion Jelena Ostapenko, who defeated Kasatkina in a 6-3, 6-2 final last year, will also be back to defend her title — as will former World No.2 Ons Jabeur, who is expected to make her season debut at the WTA 500 event after ending her 2024 season early with a shoulder injury.
The Tunisian reached the semifinals the last time she played in Adelaide in 2023, and has been given a wild card to this year’s event with her current World No.42 ranking in the PIF WTA Rankings.
“I am really happy to be back in Adelaide and be able to compete in front of Aussie fans over there,” Jabeur said in a statement. “The last time I was there was really fun and I can’t wait to be back.”
Also in the field is 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins — who announced in October that she’d be continuing her career into 2025 — 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Paula Badosa, 2024 Most Improved Player of the Year nominees Anna Kalinskaya and Diana Shnaider, and 2023 Newcomer of the Year Mirra Andreeva.
Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion who hasn’t played since losing in the first round of her title defense at SW19 this past July, is entered in the field on a protected ranking, while her fellow Czech, 2023 Adelaide finalist Linda Noskova — the World No.26 — is currently the last direct acceptance.
The Adelaide International runs through Jan. 11 at Memorial Drive Park.