Tennis: Five to follow as action hots up

Ernests Gulbis beat Roger Federer at last year's French Open. Photo / Getty

David Skipwith identifies five players to keep an eye on at the Heineken Open

David Ferrer (World No10)

The four-time ASB Classic champion (2013, 2012, 2011, 2007) is back for his 11th visit and hunting for another title after losing last year's semifinal to Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun. Ferrer went on to have a blinder of a season in 2014, winning more than US$2 million ($2.5m) in prizemoney and picking up a title in Buenos Aires. He was also runner-up in Hamburg and Cincinnati and reached semifinals in Monte Carlo and Madrid.

Dominic Thiem (World No39)

Making his first appearance in New Zealand, the 21-year-old Austrian is a rising star and was the youngest player to finish last year in the top 50. A former junior world No2, Thiem had a breakthrough year, reaching a maiden ATP final and qualifying for a tour-high seven main draws in eight attempts. Nicknamed 'Dominator', he is a Chelsea supporter and also enjoys following ski-jumping competitions.

Roberto Bautista Agut (World No15)

Back for his fourth appearance, the Spanish third seed enjoyed a career-best year in 2014, which saw him earn the ATP Most Improved Player award. Kicking on from his semifinal in Auckland (losing to eventual champion John Isner), the 26-year-old went on to beat Juan Martin del Potro, world No5 at the time, in the second round of the Australian Open, before capturing his first ATP titles in 's-Hertogenbosch and Stuttgart within weeks of each other.

Borna Coric (World No95)

The youngest player in the world's top 100, the 18-year-old Coric showed enough potential in his break-out 2014 for the tournament to gift him a wildcard into the main draw. Coric last year won the ATP Star of Tomorrow award after an outstanding season that culminated in a defeat of boyhood idol Rafael Nadal in Basel. Together with friend Ana Konjuh, a wildcard at last week's ASB Classic, the future looks bright for Croatian tennis. Ernests Gulbis (World No13)

The Latvian, the tournament's second seed, is a joker off the court. Long-considered one of the next generation of players to lead the ATP, last year saw Gulbis deliver on that potential. He won titles in Nice and Marseille but made his biggest statement at Roland Garros, overcoming Roger Federer in five sets to reach his first grand slam semifinal.