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Chanel banks on home support

Johannesburg - South African tennis player Chanel Simmonds hopes home advantage will count in her favour when she takes part in the Women's Soweto Open from May 6 to 11.

Simmonds was the only top-ranked South African player named in the final acceptance list of 24 players which was published by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Thursday.

"I'm very happy to be coming back to South Africa and playing at home," Simmonds said in a statement.

"We don't often get the chance to play at home in front of our family and friends so I hope to do well and take advantage of being a home town girl."

Hungary's Timea Babos, who is ranked No 114 in the world, heads the acceptance list which will be joined by four qualifiers and four wildcards to be announced next week. Babos shocked former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic of Serbia en route to winning her maiden title at the 2012 Monterrey Open in Mexico and has three doubles titles to her name.

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