Year-end number one spot at stake in Madrid

MADRID, Nov 5 (Reuters) Maria Sharapova, Amelie Mauresmo and Justine Henin-Hardenne enter next week's WTA Championships in Madrid with the added incentive that the year-end number one slot is still up for grabs.

Any one of the trio could snatch top spot, but given her recent form and lack of injury problems, 19-year-old Sharapova looks in the strongest position to end a highly successful year at the head of the rankings.

Sharapova, who beat Henin-Hardenne to win the US Open final in September, won her third tournament in a row with a straight sets victory over compatriot Nadia Petrova in Linz at the end of last month to chalk up her fifth title of the year.

The glamorous teenager, who spearheads the four-strong Russian contingent in the tournament, is upbeat about her chances of repeating her victory in the 2004 championships when she beat Serena Williams in the final.

''I'm playing with more confidence because I'm playing more,'' Sharapova said after her victory in Linz. ''I'm fitter, I feel as I play more matches I'm getting better and better. I'm excited that at this point in my career I'm fit enough to win three tournaments in a row.

''It's been an incredible year. Winning another major has been great. I've been consistent and have had some great results.'' Mauresmo, who won the event last year, has surged back to the top of the rankings this year after grand slam victories in Australia and at Wimbledon.

The 27-year-old Frenchwoman admits she is not in peak form after being sidelined for 10 days with a shoulder injury, but believes she has nothing to lose in Madrid.

ICING ON THE CAKE ''I'm a bit short of practice and I'm not sure I'll be able to serve at 100 per cent, but I'll be fresher than the other girls.

''I've got a tiny chance (of finishing the year at number one). That would be the icing on the cake after a great year, but I'm not counting on it too much.'' French Open champion Henin-Hardenne is even shorter on match practice following a seven-week lay-off because of a knee injury sustained during the Fed Cup final against Italy in September and will need to recapture her form immediately if she is to have a chance in Madrid.

The top-ranked trio will be joined by Svetlana Kuznetsova, Nadia Petrova, Elena Dementieva and two-time winners Martina Hingis and Kim Clijsters, who are all looking to come away with a large slice of the 3 million dollars purse.

Kuznetsova, who also qualified for the Championships last year but failed to get beyond the round-robin stage, believes that she can go all the way this time round.

''I've learned how to qualify for this tournament, but this is the first time that I see myself with a chance of winning it. Maybe the great season I've had has given me more belief in myself,'' said the 21-year-old who has won in Miami, Bali and Beijing this year.

For the 26-year-old Hingis, making the season-ending jamboree in Madrid is a massive success in her comeback season after a three-year lay-off.

''I'm happy to have qualified in my first year back on the circuit,'' said the Swiss who took her career title haul to 42 with wins in Rome and Kolkata this year.

''I can't ask for more. I have to keep looking ahead so that I can become one of the best players in the world again.'' The championships begin on Tuesday with the eight players split into two pools of four for the round-robin stage. The top two in each group will meet in Saturday's semi-finals.

Reuters SBA VP0752