By TERRY MADDAFORD
The success of this month's international tournaments is set to follow at a lower level, now that the International Tennis Federation has upgraded Auckland's under-18 summer championships.
Next month's tournament will be the biggest junior championship in New Zealand, featuring 92 entries in the boys' event and 67 in the girls'.
Sixty per cent of the entries have come from outside New Zealand, including players from Japan, the United States, Korea, Holland, Australia, Britain, Argentina, Russia, the Slovak Republic, Sweden and the Ukraine.
The tournament, to be played at Auckland's Vodafone Tennis Park from February 1-6, is now rated grade four (up from grade five last year) and carries valuable ITF ranking points which opens the door to the junior Grand Slams.
New Zealand hopes will be with Auckland's Marina Erakovic, who will probably be seeded in the top five in the girls' draw, while the country's top-ranked boy will be Kiril Tcherveniachki.
Qualifying tournaments will have to be played.
Tennis: Auckland junior event upgraded
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.