MOSCOW: World number two Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, who will top the rankings next week, heads a strong women’s entry at the Kremlin Cup, a joint WTA and ATP 2.4 million-dollar event, which gets underway on Monday.

Eight of the world’s top 10 players will join battle on the hard courts of Moscow’s Olympic indoor tennis stadium. Current world number one Serena Williams has withdrawn because of knee problems, while world number six Maria Sharapova of Russia also misses the event because of an injury.

Kremlin Cup champion Elena Dementieva, forth in the WTA rankings, who won gold at the Beijing Olympics, is expected to defend her title. Another Serbia player Ana Ivanovic, who is fifth in the world, and America’s Venus Williams, who is eighth in the rankings, are also in the seeds list here along with the squadron of local favourites.

Dinara Safina, third in the WTA table, Svetlana Kuznetsova, seventh in the world, Vera Zvonareva, who is ninth, were also seeded here along with the 2006 winner Anna Chakvetadze, who is currently 12th in the world.

In the ATP section top seed and world number six Nikolay Davydenko will try to clinch his fourth title here. The 2005 winner Igor Andreev of Russia, currently 20th in the ATP rankings and 2002 champion Paul-Henry Metthieu of France, 24th in the world.

Long standing home favourite Marat Safin, who is still seeking his maiden singles title at his home court, and another Russia Davis Cup member Mikhail Youzny. , were also in the seeded players.