Tennis: Open organisers go for rising teen ace

Borna Coric, 17, is following the path of Rafael Nadal. Photo / Getty Images

Star in the making gains wildcard entry to Auckland tournament

The Heineken Open has opted to invest in the future by handing a wildcard to precocious teenager Borna Coric.

The Croat this year became the first 17-year-old since Rafael Nadal to break into the world's top 100, a rankings rise that came after he beat Nadal at an ATP event in Basel.

And now Coric will follow in the footsteps of Nadal by competing at Stanley St.

"The Heineken Open has a reputation for unearthing the next crop of talent," said tournament director Karl Budge. "We have had [Roger] Federer, Nadal and [Andy] Murray all play in Auckland when they were on the up. Borna is no different and someone tennis fans won't want to miss."

The decision to hand the wildcard to a rising talent instead of a more established professional continues a trend for the Heineken Open and ASB Classic, with the aim of building a relationship and reaping the dividends down the road.

Tournament organisers will hope to engender some loyalty in Coric and women's wildcard Ana Konjuh, teens who were once ranked as the No1 juniors in tennis.

"[Coric] has been the biggest mover on tour this year and is certainly destined for the very top of the men's game," Budge said. "This kid is special."

Coric began raising eyebrows in 2013, when he won the Junior US Open and was selected for the Croatian Davis Cup team, facing Murray in a tie against Great Britain. But it was this year when he cemented himself as the brightest talent on tour, rising more than 250 spots in the world rankings.

After reaching his first ATP quarter-final in his home country, Coric qualified for the US Open and knocked out world No29 Lukas Rosol in the first round.

That burgeoning form continued in Basel, where he beat Heineken Open second seed Ernests Gulbis before advancing to the semifinals by dispatching world No3 Nadal. The feat saw Coric awarded the ATP Star of Tomorrow trophy, given to the youngest player in the top 100 singles rankings.

His addition to the Heineken Open leaves one remaining wildcard for the winner of this weekend's New Zealand Championships.

With the semifinals tomorrow, the competition will see New Zealand's best players compete for the rare opportunity to play in the full field coming next month.

Favourites include defending champion Artem Sitak, New Zealand No1 Michael Venus and two-time winner Rubin Statham.