The Heineken Open has a great tradition of 'discovering' players, with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin Del Potro, last year's winner, all playing in Auckland. Michael Brown and Andrew Alderson look at five of the leading contenders from this year's field.
John Isner
The towering American (he stands 2.06m) admitted last week he doesn't care much for tennis - he doesn't watch it and was more committed to finishing his degree while at college - but that hasn't held him back. He turned professional in 2007 and last year had his best on the circuit, rising from 143 to a career-high 34. What was significant was that it all started in Auckland. Last January, Isner was forced to come through qualifying to make the main draw where he beat Spain's Albert Montanes and compatriot Robby Ginepri before succumbing to French Open finalist Robin Soderling. The big-serving American - John McEnroe rates his the best on tour - announced himself with a five-set win over Andy Roddick at the US Open, when he served 38 aces in the match. He's a two-dimensional player - big serve, big forehand - and often comes through on tiebreakers.
Jeremy Chardy
The Frenchman does things a little differently. While most young French hot shots head to Paris to further their career, the 22-year-old has remained in his village of Boeil-Bezing in south-west France to be close to his family. Even after winning his first ATP Tour title last year in July, he moved only five minutes from his parents house. Chardy carved out a successful junior career, winning Wimbledon and reaching the US Open final and he beat Jonas Bjorkman on his grand slam debut at Roland Garros in 2006. Two years later he rocketed to prominence faster than his speed around the court when he came back from two sets down to beat top-10 player David Nalbandian when playing as a wildcard. Last year he jumped from 73 to 32 in the world rankings and it seems that will only improve.
Thomas Bellucci
The Brazil No 1 is the first player from his country to crack the top 50 since Gustavo Kuerten was No 40 in 2004. The left-hander jumped 50 places in the rankings to finish at 36 and one of the best things is that he doesn't have to qualify for tournaments any more. He qualified to the main draw six times last year and even won on clay at Gstaad in August after going through as a qualifier - something that saw him win seven straight matches. He comes into the tournament in decent form, having made the quarter-finals of last week's Brisbane International before being beaten by edged by Tomas Berdych in three tight sets.
Horacio Zeballos
The Argentine rose 143 places from the beginning of 2009 to reach a high of 41. He's currently world number 45 and is the ATP's Challenger title leader for the year having won five out of eight Challenger finals. He also made the final of the ATP St Petersburg Open but lost, despite holding a match point in the third set tie-break. He could be a sleeper in this year's tournament, given the higher profiles of compatriots Juan Monaco and David Nalbandian. And remember you don't have to look far to see Argentine success. Think about what now-US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro was doing this time last year.
Arnaud Clement
Sitting down to dinner the other night in Sydney, the Frenchman received a call from Heineken Open director Richard Palmer offering him a direct acceptance into the tournament. The world No 63 weighed it up and decided he'd take it on one condition. Palmer needed to guarantee a wildcard to his mate and compatriot Sebastien Grosjean - who has Clement as godfather to his children. Palmer agrees and the phone is then passed across the table to Grosjean, who by coincidence happens to be there, and the deal is done. So a coup for Palmer but also Kiwi tennis fans who haven't seen the pair in action here before. They come with big-match temperaments. Clement was runner-up at the 2001 Australian Open, while he beat Grosjean in the semifinals at the same event.
