LOS ANGELES -- Serena Williams and Venus Williams are the top two seeds in the season-ending WTA Championships.

Top-seeded Serena Williams will open play against Israel's Anna Smashnova on Thursday. Williams' older sister, Venus, is seeded second and will play Patty Schnyder of Switzerland when the $3 million tournament begins Wednesday in Staples Center.

Other matches Wednesday will be No. 4 Justine Henin of Belgium against Elena Dementieva of Russia, No. 5 Kim Clijsters of Belgium against American Chanda Rubin, and No. 6 Monica Seles against Lindsay Davenport.

No. 3 Jennifer Capriati plays Thursday against Italy's Silvia Farina Elia.

The six-day tournament features the top 16 singles and top eight doubles teams and will determine the WTA Tour's final rankings for the year.