Tennis: Dollar shrinks tennis wish-list

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The weak New Zealand dollar is having an impact on the country's richest sporting event.

As Graham Pearce prepares for his annual trek to the US Open tennis championship with his shopping-list of players for the 2001 Heineken Open in Auckland, he is all too aware of the problem the ailing New Zealand currency presents.

"We have to guarantee $US375,000 in prizemoney for the Heineken," said Pearce.

"On current exchange rates that equates to between $800,000 and $900,000, which is a lot of money. And that does not take into account any appearance money we pay."

Pearce, who will attend ATP meetings while in the US said he would be targeting a list players but knows he will quickly be putting a line through many of the big names.

"We are talking to players and their agents all the time, but the real bun fight starts at the US Open and in the six weeks after it," he said.

"We are certainly keen to have Michael Chang back. He is on the radar screen but his ranking this year is much higher than it was at this time last year.

Competing tournaments in India and Sydney made his job that much harder. "But the bottom line is that our weak dollar is killing us and will make negotiations very difficult."

It was unlikely defending champion Magnus Norman would return because he was contracted to the promoters of the Indian tournament.

"But even with these hurdles, I'm confident the cut-off will still be in the high 60s or 70s and that it will be a truly international and competitive field."

Pearce is confident defending champions Ellis Ferreira and Rick Leach could return.

"They went on from winning here this year to win the doubles at the Australian Open. They might see that as a good reason to come back."

Pearce will be joined for his first week in New York by Richard Palmer - on a similar recruiting mission for the women's ASB Bank Classic, which will be held from January 1-6, the week before the men's event.

"We don't face quite the same opposition as the men," said Palmer. "There is the annual [mixed doubles] Hopman Cup in Perth and an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong, but it should be easier to attract players as there is not the millennium factor we faced this year.

"I will again be going for all the big names but we have to be realistic in getting who we can afford."

While the payment of appearance money is openly accepted in the ATP ranks, the women do not make such payments public.

"We are keen to have our defending champion, Anne Kremer, back. But I won't know until I have spoken to her or her agent in New York. At this stage it is just a matter of talking - and going for the big names."

Mark Nielsen is likely to be the only New Zealander handed a wildcard into the men's event.

Aucklander Ilke Gers has been the big mover on the WTA Tour this year, leaping into the top 500. Should she continue that improvement she might be in line for a wildcard in the women's event.