Local talent, former No.1 players, Grand Slam winners, flair, ambition and plenty of talent. There's not much more a tennis fan could ask for when it comes to the main singles draw of the Qatar Total Open 2015.

One of the most fascinating clashes will be the match between former world No.1 and two-time champion Victoria Azarenka and tournament eight seed and world No.12 Angelique Kerber of Germany. Azarenka has a 3-0 head-to-head record but is still coming back from injury ravaged year in 2014.

Kerber has spent most of the past year or so in the top 10 rankings and was a finalist in Doha 12 months ago.

Also watch out for former US Open winner (and a former finalist at Roland Garros as well), Aussie Sam Stosur who takes on left-hander Lucie Safarova who had her best year of her career in 2014 making the Wimbledon semifinals and recently winning the doubles title at the Australian Open.

Safarova is currently ranked 15, while Stosur is 25th. They have played 12 times with Safarova leading 9-3, although Stosur won their last match in January in three sets.

At the top of the draw Petra Kvitova, the Czech who won Wimbledon last year and is currently ranked No.3 has a bye first round and will face the winner of the Jelena Jankovic (former world No.1) against a qualifier.

Karolina Pliskova is also in the top quarter of the draw. The tall big server from the Czech Republic was a finalist at Dubai this past week and also plays a qualifier.

A tricky match is in store for Tunisian player Ons Jabeur, aged only 20 who is a wildcard and a real talent. She faces Zarina Diyas from Kazakhstan who is only 21 and a real improver on the WTA tour.

Sixth seed Andrea Petkovic who just recently won the title at Antwerp and has moved back into the top 10 rankings faces a qualifier while seventh seed and seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams takes on Aussie left-hander Casey Dellaqua.

Another hard-hitting battle with feature Germany's Sabine Lisicki, a former Wimbledon finalist against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova who was a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon last year.

An intriguing battle is Svetlana Kuznetsova a two-time Grand Slam champ facing Flavia Pennetta, a tough fighter and also a proven performer like her opponent in big tournaments.They have played six times with Kuznetsova ahead 5-1.

Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska will take on the winner of that match in the second round.

Other matches in the first round of the draw include Carla Suarez Navarro against rising star Elina Svitolina and Frenchwoman Alize Cornet against a qualifier. [Source: Qatar Olympic Committee]

Will you be attending the matches today? Check out the schedule for timings.