Reigning French Open champion Maria Sharapova will begin her clay-court campaign, as she looks to continue her dominance at the Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

The world number two has never lost at the WTA Premier event in Germany, claiming the title at her first attempt in 2012 - and defending it each of the following two years.

The event has been one propeller of Sharapova's success at Roland Garros, where the Russian reigned in '12 and last year - either side of her run to the final in '13.

Sharapova comes to Stuttgart after withdrawing from Russia's Fed Cup semi-final tie with Germany due to a leg injury, and will be keen to atone for a first-up loss at the Miami Open in March.

Three players who have come closest to ending Sharapova's reign at the tournament are Ana Ivanovic, Lucie Safarova and Angelique Kerber.

Kerber is set to face Sharapova in the second round, with the world number 14 falling outside the seedings.

Fifth seed Ivanovic is drawn to play Sharapova in the semi-finals, while the Russian will be relieved Safarova - who has twice pushed Sharapova in Stuttgart - has fallen on the other side of the draw.

Sharapova downed Ivanovic in the '14 final in three sets, while Safarova was a first-up loser to the five-time major winner in each of the past two years - not before she took both matches to deciding sets.

Carla Suarez Navarro bore no real benefit out of her eighth seeding, as the world number 10 will take on the 11th-ranked Andrea Petkovic for the second time this season.

The pair cannot seem to avoid one another this campaign, after Suarez Navarro withdrew from the Antwerp final to hand Petkovic the trophy in February - before the Spaniard downed the German in the Miami Open semi-finals.

In other round-one match-ups, seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska takes on Sara Errani, while Ivanovic goes up against Caroline Garcia.

Champion in 2011, Julia Goerges received a wildcard into the main draw - and will play Belinda Bencic.

Simona Halep (second), Petra Kvitova (third) and Caroline Wozniacki (fourth) all join Sharapova in receiving first-round byes.