Big-serving Englishman Greg Rusedski will be looking for a better result when he returns to compete in the international tennis tournament in Auckland next week.
The Canadian-born Rusedski, who holds the record for the fastest recorded serve in tennis - 239.7 km/h at Indian Wells in 1998 - has been handed a wildcard into the Heineken Open at Stanley St.
He replaces Goran Ivanisevic, who has fallen so far down the world rankings (outside the top 125) that he will now be required to play the qualifying tournament for this month's Australian Open if he chooses to go to Melbourne.
Rusedski, a London-based left-hander, ranked 69th in the year-ending rankings, played here in 1994 and 1997, going out in three sets in the first round both times.
He reached the final of the US Open in 1997 and grabbed a career-high ranking of No 4.
Last year, despite being handicapped by injury, the 27-year-old beat, among others, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Marat Safin and Richard Krajicek.
The eight seeds for the tournament, which starts on Monday after weekend qualifying, all come from within the world's top 42.
Former top-10 player Karol Kucera (Slovakia) has confirmed his entry, but will have to wait a few days to know whether he has to qualify for the Vodafone singles or whether his ranking of 73 will be good enough to earn a place in the main draw.
Former champion Czech Jiri Novak has withdrawn from the tournament suffering from flu.
Mariano Puerta (Argentina) has also been forced out, with a wrist injury.
The other wildcards, expected to include New Zealand's Mark Nielsen, should be known today.
Tennis: Wildcard Rusedski chasing big win
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.