With ideal climate for tennis, the current edition of the Tashkent Open looks like anyone's game. There previous winners Pauline Parmentier of France (2007), Romania's Sorena Cirstea (2008), and Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva (2010) will have to survive challenge from young challengers, Ksenia Pervak of Russia and Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski who have had a brilliant year till date.

Uzbek tennis fans also will have their hopes pinned on local favourite Akgul Amanmuradova whose rankings have slipped to 118 this year, to make sort of comebacks and propel her career back to amongst the top 40 on the WTA circuit.

Upcoming youngsters Nigina Abduraimova, and Sabina Sharipova who have just celebrated their 17th birthdays and trying to get their foothold into the professional league are expected to give the established players a run for their money alongwith Jelena Dokic from Australia Aravane Rezai of France who will be playing in Tashkent for the first time in their careers.

Tashkent Open which is getting recognition from players throughout the globe as one of the best organized and hospitable events on the WTA tour has players representing over 20 countries participating in the event.

Tournament Director S. Uthrapathy says, "I'm glad that the event has done wonders to careers of so many young women's tennis players, Tashkent Open is the only event in the world to have provided a launching pad to careers of unknown tennis players from around the globe."

“I have been a spectator to the rise of these young tennis players,"whose confidence has got much necessary boost after the event, of lately I can name players like Sabine Lisicki, Alexandra Dulgheru", he added

It must be noted that the tournament which began as an international tennis women competition in 1996 has now propelled into a not-to-miss tournament for players on the world stage. All this after the event received a shot in the arm when the event received the status of WTA Tour in 1999.

The tournament which will kick off with the qualifying rounds at the Olympic School Of Tennis on the weekend followed by the main draw Monday onwards will be an interesting fare as many of the players are in top form and coming back after competing at the recent US Open.

The winners of the event include: Israeli Anna Smashnova, Iroda Tulyaganova, Germany's B. Lamade, MG Mikaelian (Switzerland), Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain), Czech Republic's Nicole Vadisova, China's Tian Sun, Pauline Parmentier (France), Romania's Sorena Cirstea, Shahar Peer (Israel) and Alla Kudryatseva (Russia).