Top female tennis players secure places in upcoming Sony Ericsson Championships, Doha 2009

It will feature the top eight, female singles players and top four, doubles teams in the world.

So far, four singles players have qualified; World No. 1 Dinara Safina, 2009 Australian Open and Wimbledon winner Serena Williams, winner of more matches than anyone else on the WTA Tour in 2009 - Caroline Wozniacki and Elena Dementieva who has enjoyed a very successful season, have all qualified for what is shaping up to be a star studded tournament.

A further four qualifying singles players and three further doubles players will be announced over the coming weeks. Tennis players; Black and Huber became the first qualifying doubles team to be announced last week.

With just over a month to go before the world's top female players descend on Doha, fierce competition remains for the remaining singles and doubles spots with the final line-up being eagerly anticipated. The Sony Ericsson Championships, which was also held in Doha in 2008, will once again bring tennis, glamour and innovation to Doha through the tournament itself and stylish events.

"The Sony Ericsson Championships was a great success last year and we are delighted that this prestigious tournament is returning to Doha again. The players that have qualified so far, are all world class and the tournament looks to be even more exciting than last year,"

said Husni El-Assi, Head of Market Unit, Middle East, Sony Ericsson.

"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."

"I am really excited about qualifying for the Sony Ericsson Championships for the ninth time in my career," Williams said. "It's never easy and it's never a guarantee, so I am thrilled to be going to Doha and competing against some of the best players in the world."

"2009 has been a dream season for me, highlighted by reaching the US Open final - definitely one of the best moments in my tennis career so far," said Caroline Wozniacki. "I always believed that I could be one of the best players in the world, I just didn't think that it would happen so soon. I am very excited about qualifying for the Sony Ericsson Championships and can't wait to get to Doha and have an opportunity to play on one of the biggest stages in women's tennis."

"Qualifying for the Sony Ericsson Championships is a great accomplishment for me as it's a goal I set for myself at the beginning of every season," said Elena Dementieva. "Heading to the Sony Ericsson Championships for the ninth time in my career is thrilling and I look forward to competing in what is always a great event."

"We're very excited to have qualified for the Sony Ericsson Championships," said Black, the 30-year-old Zimbabwean. "It's been a good season and we've been able to accomplish some great results, but winning the Championships is a major goal and Liezel and I look forward to going to Doha and attempting to win our third Championships title."

"It's been a great season for us," added 33-year-old American Huber. "We're proud to have won five titles this year and look forward to going to the Sony Ericsson Championships next month to compete with the best players in the world and defend our Championships crown. I've been looking at photographs of us winning the Championships the last two years and Cara and I are hoping to relive the incredible memories this year."