Big names to line up in Hong Kong

World No.1 Jelena Jankovic, Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova, Wimbledon champion Venus Williams and China's Zheng Jie will compete in the revamped JB Group Classic in Hong Kong in January.

The annual exhibition tournament will see a team concept adopted for the first time with teams from Europe, Russia, the Americas and Asia Pacific competing at Victoria Park from January 7-10.

Serbia's Jankovic leads Europe's team alongside Hungary's Agnes Szavay and Portuguese teenager Michelle Larcher De Brito, while world No.9 Sharapova will line up with world No.7 Vera Zvonareva and 19-year-old Alexandra Panova for Russia.

Williams joins Argentina's Gisela Dulko and compatriot Coco Vandeweghe, the 2008 US Open junior champion, in the Americas team.

Wimbledon semi-finalist Zheng, Indian No.1 Sania Mirza and Hong Kong's Zhang Ling make up the Asia Pacific team.

Team Russia will face team Asia Pacific and team Americas will take on team Europe in the semi-finals, which will contain two singles and one doubles match, with the winners meeting in the final in four singles and one doubles match.