The Herald looks at a group of young up-and-comers who could make a lasting impact this year. By TERRY MADDAFORD.
Tennis New Zealand's search for a new face to take their sport back on to the world stage might rest squarely on 17-year-old Eden Marama's shoulders.
While others have tried out onthe US college circuit, Eden and sister Paula opted for Paris' Mouratoglou Academy under coach Nicolas Copin.
Quickly realising he had something special, Copin took the sisters in June last year from Wellington.
Eden had already played in the doubles semifinals and singles quarters at last January's Australian Open. It was a launching pad for a highly-successful year on the second-tier International Tennis Federation tour.
During the year she won two US$10,000 ITF singles titles and, with her 19-year-old sister, five doubles titles. She also made her Fed Cup debut.
But nothing, she insists, matches the thrill of being handed a wildcard into the ASB Classic and with it her first WTA points.
It was her first appearance at New Zealand's showpiece women's tournament and she was drawn against Shelley Stephens, New Zealand's No 1 and another main draw wildcard.
In two reasonably quickfire sets, Marama saw off Stephens and strode boldly into the second round, assured of a decent pay cheque and 12 invaluable WTA ranking points.
Next up, against the eighth seed and world No 48, German Anca Barna, Marama was obviously nervous, but that did not stop her showing plenty of the right stuff.
Not afraid to mix it with her 26-year-old opponent, she showed glimpses of what will become a well-rounded game.
She has the power many players on the tour would die for. Although beaten by Barna 4-6, 5-7, Marama happily engaged in baseline rallies, often stretching her smaller opponent with well-struck shots off her backhand and forehand.
It is a long way from the lower ranks of the ITF to the giddy heights of the WTA.
It won't be a quick trip, but Marama has the goods to make it.
