KEY POINTS:
A quick glimpse at a promotional poster and it's easy to see why world No 17 Daniela Hantuchova is a favourite with Kiwi tennis fans.
Pictured with her blonde hair flowing from beneath a cowboy hat, her long lean legs strapped into stilettos at one end and barely covered by a mini skirt at the other, the 23-year-old would not look out of place on the catwalk.
But wins over top-10 players Patty Schnyder and Svetlana Kuznetsova in a tier-one event in Zurich, prove Hantuchova, who has been ranked as high as five in the world, has the tennis skills to match.
Hantuchova is the first player to be confirmed for the ASB Classic which begins in Auckland on January 1. The 1.81m tall Slovak competed in this year's tournament where she was beaten by Vera Zvonareva in the semfinals.
"I really enjoyed my stay there," she said. "The people were unbelievably welcoming. It was great preparation for me for the new season."
The tournament launched what was a productive season for Hantuchova who reached the fourth round in three of the four Grand Slams including the Australian Open where she beat Serena Williams.
Her most recent success was at the Zurich event where she lost to world No 2 Maria Sharapova in the final. She has also won two doubles titles this year with Ai Sugiyama of Japan.
Hantuchova said the Classic's inability to field top-10 players did not perturb her. The Women's Tour Association decided last year that tier-four events such as Auckland's could not have top-10 players. The Classic was able to get dispensation for this year's event, which allowed Nadia Petrova to play.
"I just decide to play where I think is best for my game and where I can prepare the best way for major tournaments. I don't usually care about the rest of the field."
Hantuchova, who is recovering from a rib injury after being struck by a ball, is not sure when she'll arrive in Auckland but said it would be a few days before the tournament to ensure she has enough time to adjust to the time difference and the weather.
Tournament director Richard Palmer said Hantuchova was a great coup for the event.
"You talk to people and the one player that is constantly brought up is Daniela. We had [Nadia] Petrova, a top-10 player, and we have had a number of other players that are high profile but she is the one name that constantly comes up.
"She is a good tennis player but she is also a very good looking young lady, she is a very together young lady, she is actually a classical pianist. She appeals to the public."
Palmer was confident the Classic would still attract a quality lineup despite the lack of a top-10 player.
"If we look at it we have only ever had two [top-10 players] in 21 years of the Classic. This year ... I think of the top-10 five are playing in Hong Kong, two of them are playing Hopman Cup ... There is probably no one there who would have come to Auckland anyway.
Palmer said he was talking to a "couple of other" top-20 players.
"We are still working on another top 20 player and if we get exceptionally lucky a second. But one more would be nice.
"There are a few more lined up in that 20 to 40 bracket, I know of four at least and hopefully there will be more," Palmer said.
Defending champion Marion Bartoli from France, now ranked No 19, is in talks over a return visit.
The full field will be announced on November 22.
Daniela Hantuchova
* Lives in: Monte Carlo, Monaco
* Born: April 23, 1983
* Birthplace: Poprad, Slovakia
* Height: 1.81m
* Weight: 56 kg
* WTA Tour singles titles: 1
* WTA Tour doubles titles: 8
* Prizemoney: US$4.1 million ($6.16 million)
