The world's top player Justine Henin of Belgium and No. 3 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia are the first two players to qualify for the season-ending WTA championships scheduled to take place in Madrid on Nov. 6-11, the WTA announced on Thursday.

This is the seventh year in a row that Henin has qualified for the prestigious tournament, which will feature the best eight female players in the world.

In Madrid last year, Henin beat the world's top two players -- Russian Maria Sharapova and Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo -- to win the WTA championship and the year-end No. 1 ranking.

"I am proud of the fact that I am the first to qualify for the Sony Ericsson championships as one of the elite eight singles players and can't wait to go back there and be a part of that special atmosphere," Henin said in a statement on Thursday.

So far, Henin has had a great season this year, winning a tour-best five titles including the third successive French Open title. She leads the WTA Champions Race with 3,245 points.

Due to wrist injury, Henin has not played since her Wimbledon semi-final loss to Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli. She is scheduled to return on court on Aug. 13 to play in the Rogers Cup in Toronto, Canada to prepare for the U.S. Open due to start on Aug. 27.

Jankovic was the first Serbian to qualify for the year-ending tournament. With four titles this year under her belt, Jelena now stands second in the WTA Champions Race with 2990 points.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2007)