American Sloane Stephens will be the first big name to open her account at the Hobart International tennis tournament when play begins on Sunday.

The world No.35, fresh from her round-two loss in the Auckland Classic, faces Romanian Monica Niculescu on centre court.

Fifth seeded Stephens is at the other end of the draw to tournament headliner Casey Dellacqua who is recovering from her three Hopman Cup singles losses in Perth.

Flying the flag for Australia on Sunday is doubles pair Monique Adamczak and Olivia Rogowska who face Briton Heather Watson and her partner Croatian Ajla Tomljanovic.

Also in action on day one is Czech player and sixth seed Klara Koukalova, who was runner-up in Hobart in 2014.

She plays Japan’s Kurumi Nara.