Defending Champion Victoria Azarenka will be No. 1 Seed

© Getty Images

MIAMI, Fla. (www.sonyericssonopen.com) – The 2012 Sony Ericsson Open has announced its women’s seeds with defending champion Victoria Azarenka returning as the No. 1 seed.

Azarenka won her second Sony Ericsson Open title last year by defeating Maria Sharapova in a decisive victory, 6-1, 6-4.  So far in 2012 Azarenka has captured three titles including her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.  She is a perfect 17-0 this season.

After a healthy start to her 2012 season, Maria Sharapova is once again amongst the top of the women’s rankings.  As the No. 2 seed, Sharapova looks to win her first Sony Ericsson Open title.  She is a three-time Sony Ericsson Open finalist.

Serena Williams makes her way back to the purple courts after a two-year absence. The five-time champion will hold the No. 11 seed and will look to build upon the success she’s had at the Sony Ericsson Open. One of the most prolific winners at the tournament, she has a record of 52-6 for her career that ranks second all time to Steffi Graf.

The women’s main draw begins on Tuesday, March 20, while the men’s main draw kicks off the following day on Wednesday, March 21. The qualifying rounds will be held Monday and Tuesday, March 19 and 20.

Tickets to the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open are on sale now and can be purchased by phone (305-442-3367) or via internet at www.sonyericssonopen.com. An electrifying two weeks of tennis conclude with the women’s final on Saturday, March 31 and the men’s final on Sunday, April 1.
 

ABOUT THE SONY ERICSSON OPEN: The 2012 Sony Ericsson Open will be played March 19-April 1 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami. The two-week combined event, founded by Butch Buchholz in 1985, is owned and operated by IMG. The Sony Ericsson Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men's and women's tennis players in the world. In 2011 Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal for his second Sony Ericsson Open title, while Victoria Azarenka knocked off Maria Sharapova to capture her second title in Miami. For ticket information, call (305) 442-3367 or visit the website at www.SonyEricssonOpen.com.

ABOUT SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS: Sony Mobile Communications is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation, a leading global innovator of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for both the consumer and professional markets. Through its Xperia™ smartphone portfolio, Sony Mobile Communications delivers the best of Sony technology, premium content and services, and easy connectivity to Sony’s world of networked entertainment experiences. For more information: www.sonymobile.com

ABOUT IMG: IMG Worldwide is a global sports, entertainment and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging:  IMG College; IMG’s Joint Ventures in China, Brazil and India; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academies; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing.  More information is available at www.imgworld.com.