By TERRY MADDAFORD
Spanish star Alex Corretja is coming to Auckland, adding to the list of big names set to play January's international tournament.
The former world No 2 and winner of more than US$10 million in a professional career that started in 1991, yesterday confirmed his place in the 32-player field for the January 12-17 Heineken Open.
Because his ATP ranking is now outside the top 80, Corretja needed a wildcard to make the main draw, a request that tournament director Graham Pearce was more than happy to meet.
"It will be great to have a player of his calibre back at the ASB Tennis Centre," Pearce said yesterday.
"I remember when he last played here . . . how supportive he was. He is one of the really nice guys, always happy to help."
The 29-year-old Spaniard, from Barcelona, was involved in one of the sport's epics, the 1996 US Open quarter-final against Pete Sampras.
In that 4h 9m battle, Sampras came from 1-2 to win in five sets, but only after he had been sick on the court.
Sampras went on to beat Michael Chang in a one-sided final.
Corretja reached his career-high No 2 in the rankings in February 1999, and has 17 ATP tournament singles titles.
He was twice runner-up at the French Open, to Gustavo Kuerten in 2001 and to fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya in 1998.
From Melbourne, where Spain will today meet Australia in the Davis Cup final, Corretja said he wanted to erase memories of his last visit to Auckland, in 1997, when he lost to Christian Ruud in the first round.
"I look forward to coming back," he said. "I remember Auckland as a nice city and it was a very good tournament. It is a great honour for me that Graham Pearce has given me a wildcard.
"I am playing in Auckland as build-up to the Australian Open."
Asked why his ranking had fallen this year, Corretja said: "The main reason is I have been travelling for many, many years, training and practising hard. There is a point where your body says no more. So I've taken a little break.
"If you asked me 'If you win in Auckland but you lose in the first round of the Australian Open would you be happy?' I would say okay, give it to me, I would take it."
Other top players confirmed for the Open include Guillermo Coria, Keurten, Sjeng Schalken, Dominik Hrbaty, Fernando Gonzalez and Todd Martin. The full field will be named next week.
Tennis: Corretja latest big name for Heineken Open
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