Azarenka to start Pan Pacific Open run from round two

World number two Victoria Azarenka of Belarus will start her Pan Pacific Open title run in Tokyo from the second round.

The Belarusian, second-seeded after the withdrawal of World No.1 Serena Williams of the U.S., will face the winner of the opening match between Venus Williams (No.62) and Mona Barthel of Germany (No.34).

Apart from Serena Williams who pulled out of next week’s tournament due to fatigue, World No.3 Maria Sharapova of Russia is also out of Tokyo due to her right shoulder injury. Maria Sharapova won the Pan Pacific Open in 2005 and 2009.

It is will the fifth time 24-year-old Victoria Azarenka is taking part in the Pan Pacific Open in the Japanese capital. She reached the semifinal twice, in 2010 and 2011 and two times played in the quarterfinal in 2009 and 2012.

Russian Nadezhda Petrova won the last year’s Tokyo tournament beating Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska in the final.

The Toray Pan Pacific Open 2013 kicks off in Tokyo on 22 September and will finish on 28 September. Prize money of the tournament makes up $2.269 million this year. The winner will get $436,000 and 900 points in the WTA ratings.