Tennis head-turners' stairway of the stars

Tennis players (from left) Tong Ka-po, Angelique Widjaja, Lina Krasnoroutskaya, Tamarine Tanasugarn, Amanda Coetzer, Barbara Schett, Elena Dementieva and Mary Pierce attend a welcoming party at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel yesterday, where they were later joined by reigning Australian and French Open champion Jennifer Capriati (far right) who flew in from Florida.

The players are taking part in the Hong Kong Ladies Challenge 2002 tournament at Victoria Park from today until Saturday. Capriati, who won the tournament two years ago, beating Martina Hingis in the final, is the favourite to triumph again this year. Yesterday, the one-time troubled teenager said she was 'fit and ready' for the start of 2002.