By TERRY MADDAFORD
Argentine No 1 Franco Squillari has the chance to avenge his first-round loss in this year's New Zealand Open when he returns in January - possibly as the top seed.
Tournament director Graham Pearce said yesterday that world No 13 Squillari, 1998 Open winner Marcelo Rios, of Chile, and
former world No 2 Croatian Goran Ivanisevic were the early contracted players for the Heineken-sponsored tournament from January 8 to 13.
While Squillari and Rios are assured of places in the 32-strong main draw for the Vodaphone singles, Ivanisevic, 98th on the ATP race (ranking list), may well need a wildcard to get in.
"The interest has been really encouraging," Pearce said. "I hope to have another three players contracted in the next couple of weeks. If we get to six, it would be the most we have ever had.
"At the moment, all of the 29 players who go straight into the main draw are ranked in the top 68 to 70 in the world."
Pearce said he hoped to give another of the three wildcards into the main draw to a New Zealander.
"I would also like to think some of the four wildcards for the qualifying tournament will also go to New Zealanders."
Pearce said he expected at least one other top-20 player to appear at the $US375,000 tournament at Stanley St.
Squillari has won twice on the ATP Tour this year, with victories in Munich, where he beat German Tommy Haas, and Stuttgart.
In this year's Auckland tournament, Squillari went down in the first round to Spaniard Juan Balcells, who lost in the semifinals to Michael Chang.
Ivanisevic, also a first-round casualty this year when he lost to defending champion Sjeng Schalken, is keen to return for a second visit.
"He was not happy with the way he played here this year and also with the way in which he quickly disappeared after losing," Pearce said.
"By returning he feels he has the opportunity to repay the Croatian fans who came to support him."
Rios, too, enjoys good support from Auckland's Chilean community.
Commitments to the Sydney tournament at the same time have ruled out Chang and defending champion Magnus Norman.
