WTA - Top 8 women gather in Stuttgart for Porsche Grand Prix

The world’s top ranked women are all coming together in Stuttgart this week for the Porsche Grand Prix – one of the key stops on the WTA Tour ahead of the French Open.

All the top 8 ranked women in the world will be at the event, which is played on an indoor clay court.

Victoria Azarenka is the top seed and the world no. 1 will be hoping to improve on her 26-1 start to 2012. Azarenka has a first round bye and then could meet either Andrea Petkovic or wildcard Kristina Barrois. Petkovic is playing her first event since coming back from a back injury which has kept her off tour since January.

World no. 2 Maria Sharapova will play either Flavia Pennetta or a qualifier in her first match. Pennetta has beaten the Russian in their last two matches.

Petra Kvitova and Agnieszka Radwanska are the No.3 and No.4 seeds. Rounding off the top 8 are Sam Stosur, Caroline Wozniacki, Marion Bartoli and Li Na.

Wozniacki has a toough assignment in the first round – she has drawn former world no. 1 Jelena Jankovic, who has been in a slump of late but always dangerous on the clay courts.

Julia Georges is the defending champion here and is also in the draw.