Tennis: Black has her own army of supporters

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Cara Black is in a no-win situation heading into today's glamour clash with Anna Kournikova. Or is she?

While Kournikova has long been billed as the star attraction at the ASB Bank Classic - and ticket sales for today's play support that - Black can count on a fair dollop of local support when she steps on to centre court this afternoon.

Back in Auckland for the fourth time, the diminutive 22-year-old Zimbawean has built up a solid band of followers.

The winner of the doubles two years ago, and singles runner-up the same year, Black remains one of the more popular visitors to Stanley St.

"It should be an exciting match," she said, looking ahead to the match which will be second on court on the day dubbed "Terrific Tuesday."

As well as Kournikova, top seed Angeles Montolio, second seed Henrieta Nagyova, fourth seed (and one of the world's best known players) Conchita Martinez and defending champion Meilen Tu will all play their first-round matches in the singles on perhaps the biggest day in the history of the game in New Zealand.

While the day has long been billed as a sellout, organisers yesterday said 52 tickets would go on sale at 10 am - 40 "bird's-eye" spots on top of the temporary stand at $50 and 12 in the Redwood Stand at $35.

"They will be sold at the gate on first-come, first-served basis," tournament director Richard Palmer said.

"There could be a bit of scrum at the gates."

A full house of 3400 will watch what should be some of the best women's tennis seen in New Zealand.

Black said there had been a lot of hype surrounding her clash with Kournikova, but she was not fazed by it.

"There will be a huge crowd, which will be a bit surprising when you consider how early in the tournament the match is," Black said.

"It will be the first game in a while for both of us.

"It will be interesting to see how the crowd reacts.

"I like coming to Auckland. It is different than all other tournaments we play. I have great friends I stay with here and this tournament gives you the chance to ease yourself back on to the circuit."

Going into the match, Black has a WTA ranking of 58 - down from a best of 31 in 1999. Twenty-year-old Russian Kournikova has a ranking of 74 compared with her best of eight, in late 2000.

Head-to-head, Kournikova has won their three clashes, two indoors comfortably and the third in the 2000 Du Maurier Open in Canada on hard-court where she won through by winning a second-set tiebreaker.

But the record book so early in the year rarely counts for much.

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