KEY POINTS:
Top 10 tennis players Tommy Robredo and Mario Ancic will line up for January's Heineken Open in Auckland, promoters said today.
World No 6 Robredo, of Spain, and No 9 ranked Ancic, of Croatia, will be joined by defending champion Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, ranked 15th, at the January 8-13 tournament.
Robredo, 24, winner of two titles in 2006, has had a consistent year, gaining him a spot in the elite eight-man season ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai next week.
He has four career singles titles to his credit, two of which he won this year including the ATP Masters Series at Hamburg.
"Tommy has consolidated his top-10 position as one of the most consistent players in the world," tournament director Graham Pearce said today.
"It will be a treat for tennis fans to see him in action."
Ancic, 22, has won two titles this year and made three finals in Auckland, Beijing and Marseille.
"This is the first time in the open era history that two top-10 players have entered the Heineken Open.
"This is looking to be our best quality field ever," Pearce said.
- NZPA
