By Terry Maddaford
Between them, the top dozen players at this week's international tennis tournament have banked an amazing $150 million in career prizemoney.
Headed by former world No 2s Michael Chang and Goran Ivanisievic with more than $36 million each, the field is regarded as the best in 30 years.
The other big earners include Jonas Bjorkman, Marc Rosset, Byron Black, Magnus Gustafsson and Alberto Berasategui who have all earned more than $8 million.
Seven players have been ranked in the top 10 at some stage.
Of the 32 players in the main draw, 22 have won at least one singles title on the ATP Tour. Headed by Chang, with 33 and Ivanisivec (21), those 22 players have amassed 133 tour victories. Rosset also won singles gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Tournament top seed Tommy Haas, 21, is one of seven players seeking a second tour victory. The German-born is a former runner-up in Auckland and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open.
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