CHENNAI, Dec 1: World number five Nikolay Davydenko of Russia leads a strong field for the season-opening ATP Chennai Open from Jan 5 to 11, the organisers said on Monday.

Davydenko, who lost to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the final of last month’s Masters Cup in Shanghai, will be joined by world number 13 Stanislas Wawrinka in the 450,000-dollar event, now in its 14th year.

Others taking part in India’s biggest ATP tournament are the Croatian trio of Marin Cilic, Ivo Karlovic and Ivan Ljubicic, and Spanish veteran and former world number one Carlos Moya.

World number one Rafael Nadal, who is recovering from a knee injury, will not make his third successive appearance in the tournament used by players to warm up for the Australian Open, the season’s first Grand Slam.

Nadal lost the final here last season to fourth-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who will also not return to defend his title.

The Bryan brothers of the United States, Mike and Bob, will lend spark to the doubles field that includes Indian stars Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi playing with different players.

While Bhupathi teams up with Mark Knowles of the Bahamas, Paes will partner Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic.

“This is arguably one of the most open and competitive line-ups we have had at Chennai Open,” said tournament organiser Ravi Krishnan. “The field boasts eight players who are in the Top 50 and all have the potential to win the tournament.”

—AFP