KEY POINTS:
World No 6 David Ferrer will be the first top 10-ranked player to return to Auckland to defend his Open title.
Tournament director Graham Pearce also confirmed world No 12 Guillermo Canas and fellow Argentinian, 23rd-ranked Juan Monaco, will also be in the 32-strong draw for January's Heineken tournament.
"Auckland crowds will be thrilled to see the speed of his game once again," Pearce said.
Kick-started by his Auckland win, Ferrer had enjoyed a remarkable year, going on to win another two hardcourt titles and reaching the semifinals of the US Open.
Ferrer will be in the field for next week's elite end-of - year ATP Masters Cup in Shanghai.
Monaco also enjoyed a successful 2007, winning through qualifying in Auckland before eventually going out to Augustin Callieri in the quarters.
He began the year with a ranking of 71 but ended it 48 places higher after picking up three singles titles and defeating the likes of Rafael Nadal and Tommy Haas.
"Juan proved he'll be a potential title contender," Pearce said. "There are not many players who can go from qualifying to a potential seeding position in under 12 months."
Canas will return to the tournament he last played in 1999. Earlier this year he posted victories over world No. 1 Roger Federer in successive weeks.
"Last time he was a young pro and now he is a top 20 player and a three-time quarter-finalist at Roland Garros," Pearce said.
The tournament will be played on a new blue court, matching the colour of the Australian Open.
But while the Melbourne event has switched to a Plexicushion surface after complaints about the court temperature during this year's tournament, the changes at Auckland will be only to the top layer of the Rebound Ace surface.
Auckland's surface would be changed to exactly match Melbourne's as part of a planned 2009 upgrade to the ASB Tennis Centre, Pearce said.
Virtual reality line calling system Hawkeye will not feature at the January 7-12 Auckland tournament as the costs were still too high.
Pearce expects to reveal more big name players in the draw in coming weeks.