The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, have been drawn in the same half of the WTA Bangalore Open which begins today.

The multiple grand slam winners, who usually avoid playing in the same tournament outside the majors, have been given first round byes in their first tournament appearance in India.

"I don't understand why they are playing in the same tournament," their father Richard Williams told Reuters yesterday when quizzed about his daughters' decision and a probable semi-final meeting.

Venus and Serena, ranked eighth and 10th in the world respectively, last figured together in a WTA tour event in Charleston last year but did not cross paths. Their last meeting was at the 2005 US Open which Venus won before bowing out in the quarters.

Top seed and Serbian world number four Jelena Jankovic and fourth seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder have also got first round byes.

India's world number 32 Sania Mirza will skip her country's biggest WTA event following her decision to boycott tournaments in India after being dragged into a series of controversies.

"Pitting Sania against these top players would have inspired her to raise her game," tournament director Sunder Raju said.