Michaella Krajicek, sister of former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, will be in action next week at the Soweto Open women's tennis tournament to be played at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Complex in Jabavu, Soweto. 

The former world No 30 will also add some glamour to the event as two years ago; she was featured in Glamour Holland's Women of 2007 issue and was also honoured as one of the most powerful females in Holland by Heleen Magazine.

In February last year the 20-year-old from Almere in The Netherlands, reached a career high of 30. However, injury marred the balance of the year, first a wrist injury and then missing three months of the year with a knee injury.

That resulted in a drop to 219, the first time Krajicek had fallen out of the top 100 since 2004. She has begun her comeback and reached the quarterfinals in Memphis earlier this year and she will enter the Soweto Open ranked 136.

Krajicek, who is likely to be seeded No 2 behind Katie O'Brien of Great Britain, is still the No 1 ranked women's tennis player in Holland.

Australian Jelena Dokic was among the entries for this tournament but the former world No 4, currently ranked 74, pulled out once she was chosen to play in the Australian Fed Cup team.

"It was unfortunate Jelena had to withdraw but she has a slight injury and had to make a choice of either playing in Soweto or the crucial Fed Cup tie for her country against Switzerland,'' explained South African Tennis Association (SATA) CEO Ian Smith. "She opted to play Fed Cup and not risk exacerbating the injury by playing in the Soweto Open."

South Africa will be represented by Natalie Grandin who has been performing well in the doubles draws around the world. She is ranked 247 in singles and is currently in Turkey leading the SA Fed Cup team.

Another interesting player is Belgian Tamaryn Hendler. The 16-year-old was born in South Africa and is the cousin of local junior Kaylea Sher. She last played in the country when representing Belgium in the under-12 draw of the Nike Junior Tour International Masters at Sun City in 2002.

Meanwhile, players participating in the tournament will stay at the Southern Sun Grayston Hotel, the official tournament accommodation. The R1-million Soweto Open is sponsored and hosted by the City of Johannesburg.

The qualifying tournament begins on Saturday with the main event starting on Monday. Entrance is free to the public.

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