Tennis: French No 1 back in town and top seed

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Sandrine Testud is hoping her latest trek Down Under is more fruitful than her last. Two days before her scheduled first-round match at the Sydney Olympics tennis tournament in September, the French No 1 was forced out with injury.

"My year was going well until I got that stress fracture," said Testud, who is back in Auckland to compete in the ASB Bank Classic at Stanley St next week.

"I was off the court for two months. I lost a lot of points and my ranking dropped from around 10 or 11 to 17."

But that is still high enough to ensure top seeding here for the popular 28-year-old. She has mixed feelings about that.

"I have never won a tournament in which I have been the top seed. Maybe this time."

She might also find herself at the top of the doubles seedings when that list is released tomorrow, because she will have defending doubles champion Cara Black, of Zimbabwe, as her partner.

Black won the title here a year ago with another Frenchwoman, Alexandra Fusai, who is back, but likely to partner another of the French players this time.

Testud admits she enjoys coming to Auckland. She is playing here for the fourth time and regards it as one of her favourite stops on the Sanex WTA Tour.

"It is great to be back," she said. "I enjoy the chance we have of staying with friends away from the hotel.

"This tournament is a good lead-in to the Australian Open, which is played on the same surface. It will be especially beneficial if I do well enough to retain my world ranking and get a seeding there."

After playing in Auckland, Testud, accompanied by her Italian husband Vittorio Magnelli - who these days is also her coach - is off to Canberra for a new tournament on the women's circuit.

"I need the matches," said Testud, who got in some practice at Stanley St yesterday morning.

Based in Italy, Testud, who was a relatively late starter as a 10-year-old, after playing basketball in her younger days, continues to mix her tour commitments with Fed Cup appearances for France.

"I've always been proud to play for my country, even if I haven't lived there for some time," she said.

Rising up the world rankings - which goes hand-in-hand with winning matches - has one downside for a player such as Testud, who likes to get out and take in the sights wherever she happens to be.

"When I first started out about 10 years ago, I used to lose in the first or second round, which gave me time to go sightseeing," she said.

"Now I don't get that chance. But one day we will come to New Zealand just for a holiday. We love this part of the world."

It's a refreshing attitude, and one which tennis people here would probably welcome from other top-line players.