Tennis: Robredo, Ferrero confirmed for Heineken Open

Former Heineken Open runner-up Tommy Robredo is returning to Auckland next year. Photo / Greg Bowker

Former world tennis No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero has confirmed he will return to Auckland in January to chase an elusive Heineken Open victory.

Fellow Spaniard and world No 15 Tommy Robredo was also announced today as a starter for the tournament.

Now ranked No 22, Ferrero has 12 career title wins to his name, including the French Open in 2003.

He became world No 1 the same year, after being a finalist at the US Open. Other Grand Slam success was being a French Open finalist at Roland Garros in 2002.

Ferrero has made the quarters or better of Grand Slams five other times, the last being this year at Wimbledon where he beat Fernando Gonzalez and Gilles Simon in succession before being downed by Andy Murray.

January will be his sixth appearance in Auckland, having first played in 2000 as a teenager, beating Swiss ace Roger Federer on an outside court and continuing to the quarterfinals.

He lost a tense 2008 final to Philipp Kohlschreiber and returned this year, with the pair meeting in the second round in what was one of the tournament highlights. Ferrero lost that match in a third set tiebreak.

Robredo has nine titles to his credit, including two this year, the first being at Coasta Do Sauipe, Brazil, where he beat Thomaz Bellucci in the final, and the second at Buenos Aires, Argentina, with victory over Juan Monaco.

The titles were part of a run of success which included a semifinal, two wins and quarterfinal in South American tournaments.

Robredo also had a consistent year in Grand Slams, reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open and the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.

At Wimbledon he made the third round, and at the US Open he defeated James Blake in the third round but then lost to Federer.

Robredo had a career high ranking of No 5 in 2006 and was beaten by David Ferrer at the 2007 Heineken Open final.

The 2010 Heineken Open runs from January 11-16.

- NZPA