Hewitt, Clijsters top seeds at Sydney tournament
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-06 16:45

MELBOURNE, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Australia's Lleyton Hewitt and Belgian Kim Clijsters have been made top seeds for next week's Sydney International tennis tournament.

Hewitt, the world number four, crashed out of the Australian hardcourt championships in Adelaide on Thursday, and will need a good run in Sydney to give him much-needed match practice ahead of the Australian Open, which begins on January 16.

Former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero has been seeded fifth for the tournament, while former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson is third.

World number three Amelie Mauresmo has been ranked second for the tournament, and former world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne third.

Russia's Nadia Petrova has been seeded fifth, although she retired from her semi-final at the Auckland Open on Friday with a thigh injury.

The draw for the tournament will be made on Saturday.

Men:

1. Lleyton Hewitt (Australia)

2. Nikolay Davydenko (Russia)

3. Thomas Johansson (Sweden)

4. Richard Gasquet (France)

5. Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain)

6. Tommy Robredo (Spain)

7. Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic)

8. James Blake (United States)

Women:

1. Kim Clijsters (Belgium)

2. Amelie Mauresmo (France)

3. Justin Henin-Hardenne (Belgium)

4. Patty Schnyder (Switzerland)

5. Nadia Petrova (Russia)

6. Francesca Schiavone (Italy)

7. Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic)

8. Elena Likhovtseva (Russia)