Amelie Mauresmo, the world No.1, will be the jewel in a star-studded line-up when she returns to Eastbourne.

The French ace, who won her first Grand Slam and regained top spot this year, has entered the Hastings Direct International Championships at Devonshire Park from June 19 to 24.

She joins a glittering entry list that already includes world No.2 Kim Clijsters, the defending champion, former title-holder Svetlana Kuznetsova, ex-finalist Daniela Hantuchova and Anastasia Myskina, the 2004 French Open champion.

French ace Tatiana Golovin and Russian pair Elena Likhovtseva and Anna Chakvetadze are among the impressive support acts.

Joint tournament director Gavin Fletcher said: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome back Amelie as the current No. 1 player in the world.

"It is fantastic to add another top five player into the main draw with Kim Clijsters already confirmed."

Mauresmo hopes to make up for last year's shock defeat in her opening match against Russian Vera Dushevina.

She will also look to improve on her best performance at the Sussex event when she reached the semi-finals two years ago before losing to Hantuchova.

The 26-year-old has had a breakthrough year following her triumph in the Australian Open, her first Grand Slam singles title in 32 attempts.

She regained the No.1 spot in March after winning back-to-back titles at the Paris Indoors and Antwerp.

Mauresmo was also a beaten finalist in Dubai and made the semi-finals in Miami and Berlin.

Philippe Bouin, an experienced tennis writer with the all-sports French newspaper L'equippe, said: "Amelie is realising her potential this year. She is mentally and physically fit.

"She reacted positively to the setback of being in the team which lost the Fed Cup final to Russia in September.

"She was mentally down then. Winning the end-of-season Tour Championships in Los Angeles also convinced her that she could win a Grand Slam."

Mauresmo said: "I proved to myself in LA what I was capable of against the greatest players. That belief had not been 100 per cent in my mind up to then."

Qualifying for this year's Eastbourne will take place between Saturday, June 17 and Monday, June 19. The box office number is 01323 412000.