Top seed Russian Elena Bovina takes on Britain's Julie Pullin while Tunisian star Selima Sfar, the second seed, runs into tough Hungarian customer Adrienn Hegedus in first round clashes of the main draw of the $75,000 Al Tennis Challenge at the Metropolitan Resort and Beach Club beginning on Monday.

Matches start at 3.30pm in the fourth chapter of the mainly HSBC and AMC sponsored International Tennis Federation rated women's event at the beach resort, a five-star Dubai property of the Al Habtoor Group.

Entry is free for all for the Khalaf Al Habtoor, chairman of the Habtoor Group, initiated championship.

Bovina's opponent Pullin is rated 186 in the world while the top seed is at the moment in the elite below 100 list on 99.

Bovina bulldozed her way to the top 100 in recent weeks with her brilliant shows in challenger events earlier last month.

Sfar before her practice session at the venue yesterday said: "It is nice to be back for this event . After the Dubai Open I am looking forward to living up to the trust the seeding committee have put on me,."

Sfar, the first Arab women's tennis player to enter a WTA circuit quarter-final (at the inaugural Dubai open) is expected to clear her first round hurdle, Hegedus, though the Hungarian is no pushover.

The fact that Hegedus enjoys her tennis so much out here on the resort hard courts may prove to be a thorny proposition for the Tunisian.

Further, Hegedus will have the strong vocal support of her family members who are on the trip here with her.

"This challenger is of great importance to me in my playing schedule. I enjoy this event so much and I have brought my family along with me this time," she said at the tournament announcement last week.

Third seed Oga Barabanschikova (world 120) has a first round date with one of the four players coming in from the qualifying tournament which began on Saturday morning.

Barabanschikova's fifth seeded team-mate Nadeja Ostrovskaya (127) has an appointment with Ireland's kelly Liggan while fourth seeded Hungarian Katalin Marosi-Aracama (125), married now to an Argentinian coach cum sports management exponent, will have a quaifier to contend with in other main first round encounters.

Marosi-Aracama won the doubles crown here last year along with singles runner-up Tathiana Garbin of Italy.

Both Garbin and last year's singles champion Adriana Gersi are not taking part in the championship this year.

On her chances this year, Marosi said: "I have been faring quite well after the Habtoor last year. For a start I entered the quarters of a major event back home soon after and made it to the main draw of the Grand Slams. I even managed an entry into the top 100 for a short period this year.

Sixth seeded Beligian Laurence Courtois (128) also has a qualifier to confront with in her first round match while seventh seed Angelika Bachman (150) of Germany, a regular here, meets Bulgaria's Desislava Topalova.

Eighth rated Lenka Nemeckova (154) of the Czech Republic will have her hands full when she runs into the talented Hungarian Kyra Nagy, the winner at the inaugural Al Habtoor tournament.

The draw for the main tournament was taken at the venue on Sunday evening with players Nagy, Marosi-Aracama, India's Nirupama Vaidyathan, Nina Nittinger (Germany), Vanesa Henke (Germany) and Kelly Liggan (Ireland) taking part along with ITF designate Jane Harvey, Hani El-Khafief, chief referee, Tariq Ali Khan, tournament director, and resort tennis captain Irene Smith.

"I have been off tennis for a month now. After the Dubai Open I have not played in any tournament while I was with my parents in Coimbatore and Ooty. The unfortunate thing was that my mother had a bad fall and her broke her ankle," Vaidyanathan said, before rushing off to make a phone call to India last night.

Spectators for the family friendly event can request for free raffle coupons at the entry point for the daily draws. A brand new Mitsubishi Lancer Coupe and a year's membership for a family of four to the beach resort will be on offer for the big draw after the final on April 9.

The support sponsors for the Challenge are: Emirates Pure Spring Water Co., Crystal Gallery, African & Eastern (near East) (bvt) Limited, Hasanat Trading Est., Diversey Liver, Ghulami Trading, Gulf Arena, Hall Mark, Key Information Technology, Gulf Today, Al Khaleej, Sun & Sand Sports, Dubai Sports Channel, El Fab, Aziz Trading, Red Bull, Coca Cola, Diamond Lease, Tennis Emirates, Malaysian Airlines, Pupa, Dubai FM 92, Oasis Water, ITF and Metropolitan Hotels.