Tennis: Firepower factor key to selection

The decision to play Dan King-Turner was a tight one, but he's considered best suited to the faster court. Picture / Richard Robinson

Attack has been identified as the only feasible option for New Zealand in the Asia/Oceania group two Davis Cup final against Korea, starting at Albany today.

Out-ranked and unfancied against the tenacious Koreans, New Zealand captain Bruce Derlin has opted to respond with maximum firepower for the showdown, naming the sweet-serving Dan King-Turner as his No 2 singles player, and also as Mark Nielsen's doubles partner.

Nielsen will begin proceedings at the More FM Tennis Park this afternoon when he squares off against the dangerous Korean No 2 Kyu-Tae Im, after which King-Turner will face a Davis Cup acid test against world No 5 Hyung-Taik Lee.

Korea have selected Lee and Oh-Hee Kwon for Saturday's doubles.

Derlin said the decision to go with King-Tuner ahead of fellow team-members Rubin Statham and Adam Thompson had been a tight one, but that the need for an extra attacking factor had proved critical.

"This is a court where, especially against the Koreans, you're going to need to come forward and take the game to them," said Derlin.

"They'll be out there for however long it takes. They could last for six, seven hours, it's the way they play.

"They're very professional, hit a ton of balls back, and they won't change from that. They're not going to turn up tomorrow as something completely different, so the bottom line is that we're going to have to beat them; they won't lose."

With that in mind, he said King-Tuner was seen as the best option. "We've got four or five guys who are very close, but we've decided to play Dan because we think he's best suited to the faster court.

"He's got a good serve, he's a good athlete and he's performed well recently, and that's swayed us towards him for this tie."

If New Zealand emerge victorious, they will gain automatic entry to the Davis Cup group one division, from where they can challenge for admission into the elite world group, now headed by Spain.

King-Turner said he was told about his selection only as he headed to yesterday's official draw and media conference, and he was determined to give everything he had for the cause.

"All we can do is go out there and give our best and in that respect I'm looking forward to the challenge," he said. "I don't know much about my opponent, haven't played him before, but I'll be speaking to Mark [Nielsen] and Bruce [Derlin] about that."

Derlin said that quite apart from the much-awaited No 1 singles clash, this afternoon's stoush against Kyu-Tae Im had the makings of an epic, as he rated the Korean No 2 as an extremely even match-up.

"He's an all-court player, he does everything very professionally, takes his time, thinks about what he's doing, and he doesn't make many mistakes," said Derlin. "I'm sure it's going to be a tough match."

Speaking through an interpreter, the Koreans said they were happy with the surface at Albany and were unfazed by the unfamiliar surroundings, as professional tennis was "all about dealing with pressure".

This afternoon's opening singles between Nielsen and Kyu-Tae Im begins at 2.30pm.

Davis Cup facts

* Youngest player for New Zealand: Jose "Rubin" Statham; 17 years 313 days, v Kazakhstan, March this year.

* Most decisive victory in a tie: New Zealand defeated Chinese Taipei in 1985 in Auckland, winning the sets 12-0 and the games 70-27.

* Oldest player: Frank Fisher (46 years 152 days).

* Longest rubber: 5hr 20min (Mark Nielsen defeated Aisam Qureshi (Pak), September 2004.

* Longest tie: 16hr 20min (New Zealand lost to Pakistan, September 2004).

* Longest tie-break: 20 points, 11/9 Hyung-Taik Lee (Kor) defeated Alistair Hunt (NZ) 11-9 in Seoul 2001.

* Every home tie New Zealand has played Korea has been in Christchurch - either on grass at Wilding Park or indoors at the Westpac Trust Centre.

* Davis Cup captain Bruce Derlin was in the team which beat Korea in 1985 in Christchurch, although he did not play any matches.