China's French Open champion Li Na will make her switch from clay to grass in the 2011 AEGON International tennis tournament. And Serena and Venus Williams hope their return from long-term injuries runs smoothly in the quaint English coastal town of Eastbourne this week.

The 2011 AEGON International is regarded as a chance for players to gain some last minute experience on grass before they head to the Wimbledon Championships, which begin in just under a week's time.

Fresh from an overwhelming victory at the 2011 French Open, China's Li Na is a favorite in the women's draw.

Li said, "I think because after (the French Open) win I needed time to just calm down a little bit because the French Open is not the last tournament for the whole year so I still have to prepare Wimbledon and the next tournament and I have like... at the beginning of the year after Melbourne (Australian Open) I have to go back to China and so many things come that I couldn't concentrate on the court anymore so I didn't want to do the same mistake again."

But Li Na may face some stiff competition from the Williams sisters.

Thirteen-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams is a surprise entry in the women's draw. The American continues on the road to recovery from an injured ligament in her foot, which led to blood clots on her lung.

Serena Williams said, "Yeah definitely I am going to get really serious over line calls (laughter). I probably won't make the same threats but I pretty much learned that lesson but... my attitude hasn't changed and I still cracked a couple of rackets in practice - but that's good, that still makes me feel like I have that desire and I have that insatiable innate thing inside me that I just want everything and I just want to win and do well."

Venus Williams is also returning to action. She began her tournament with a three-set win over the eighth-seed, Andrea Petkovic, at Eastbourne.

(CNTV.cn June 15, 2011)