By Erik Gudris

Photo Credit: Tony Chang / Chang Photography

 

 

(April 9, 2012) The WTA returns to Europe this week with some players taking to the clay in Barcelona while some of the tour's biggest stars will battle under the lights indoors in Copenhagen

e-Boks Open
Copenhagen, Denmark
WTA International
Surface: Indoor Hard

Top seed and local favorite Caroline Wozniacki will be looking to three-peat as champion at the e-Boks Open in Copenhagen. The event is the only top tier professional tennis tournament in Denmark and Wozniacki told WTA.com how much it means to her to play in front of her country people.

"It's great to play in front of my Danish fans who have been following me my whole career. It's just amazing to be able to play in front of the home crowd."

Angelique Kerber, Jelena Jankovic and Monica Niculescu round out the top four seeds. Wozniacki will face Urszula Radwanska in her opening round match.

Barcelona Ladies Open
Barcelona, Spain
WTA International
Surface: Clay

For top seed Francesca Schiavone, it's probably a relief she's finally getting back on clay after a so-so start to 2012. Schiavone leads a trio of Italian contenders including last year's winner Roberta Vinci, Acapulco champion Sara Errani and Flavia Penetta.

Germany's Julia Goerges and Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova round out the top four seeds.

Despite Vinci being the defending champion, Goerges and Cibulkova are the favorites this week as two of Goerges's career titles have come on red clay while Cibulkova is coming off of a fourth round result in Miami where she almost upset World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.