Tennis: Hobbits help score a top ASB Classic contender

If the New Zealand Film Commission ever needs an overseas ambassador, it could do much worse than Russian star Nadia Petrova.

The clincher in getting the world's No 10-ranked player out to January's ASB Classic in Auckland was a viewing of Lord of the Rings.

"I think you should be very thankful for Lord of the Rings," she said from Linz, Austria yesterday.

"That really influenced my decision, and since seeing that movie I've wanted to go to New Zealand. Next year is a good opportunity to have a little change in my schedule."

Petrova, one of the new breed of Russians taking the women's game by storm - there are nine in the world's top 30 - is the first top 10-ranked player to contest the US$140,000 Classic since German Anke Huber in 1997.

The kink in Petrova's record is that she's yet to win a WTA singles title. This year, she made the French Open semifinals, the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, and the last 16 at the Australian Open.

She was beaten in the finals at Berlin and Bangkok this year and is regularly in the last eight at tournaments. She has beaten most of her top 10 rivals, and with over US$3 million in earnings it seems a case of when, not if, she breaks her singles duck.

Petrova has strong sporting genes. Her father Victor was a prominent hammer thrower and her mother, Nadejda Ilina, won a bronze medal in the 4 x 400m relay at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

Her ambitions are to bag that first title, to clinch a Grand Slam and obviously climb to the top of the women's rankings. Top spot is now occupied by American Lindsay Davenport, whom Petrova rates her toughest opponent.

The big thing for the Russian next year is relaxing her attitude. "I need to be a little bit easier on myself and not to be disappointed in myself," she said.

Classic tournament director Richard Palmer handed out 100 packs about New Zealand and the event as part of the PR enticement operation when he went to the US Open in New York last month. Petrova remembered that, and her love of a certain blockbuster sealed the trip.

Palmer is delighted. This year's top seed, American Amy Frazier, was No 26, due to the late withdrawal of current world No 5 Mary Pierce.

He is talking to other top 25 players and is optimistic of two more coming for the January 2-7 event.

The full field will be revealed on November 23.

Nadia Petrova

Born: June 8, 1982, Moscow
Height: 1.78m
Weight: 65kg
World ranking: 10 (career high 6, April 2004)
WTA titles: Singles: 0; doubles: 11
Career earnings: US$3.3 million