By TERRY MADDAFORD
Argentine Guillermo Coria will enter uncharted territory when he takes the court at January's New Zealand international open.
Coria, who celebrates his 22nd birthday on the second day of the Heineken Open, was yesterday confirmed as the star attraction for this summer's tournament.
As the world's fourth-ranked player, Coria
will be the No 1 seed of the January 12-17 event at the ASB Bank Tennis Centre. It will be the first time since turning professional in 2000 that Coria has taken the top seeding.
"It is a big responsibility for me as I have to play well," Coria said from Houston where he is contesting the season-ending Masters Cup. "But I feel good about it and I hope to break Auckland's poor record for top seeds."
No 1 seeds have not had a great record here. In the past 15 years only Swede Magnus Gustafsson (1994) and Chilean Marcelo Rios (1998) have won. They have often been early casualties.
Last year's winner, Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten, was fourth seed. He beat Coria, seeded seventh, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 in the quarter-finals.
Coria admits he is more at home on clay courts, but says he is working hard to lift his game on other surfaces.
"I hope one day I can be the same player on hard [courts] that I am on clay. I had some good results on hard courts this year, reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open and in Cincinnati, but I know there is still a little way to go."
This year Coria has won tournaments in Hamburg, Stuttgart, Sopot (Poland) and Kitzbuhel (Austria) - all on clay - and reached the final in Monte Carlo and semifinal at the French Open, where he came from a set down to beat then world No 1 Andre Agassi in four sets in the quarter-finals.
He won his first ATP title in 2001 on clay at Vina del Mar, Chile, but last year he was troubled by injuries and was suspended for six months following a positive drug test.
"There was a long time I was out of competition and it took a while to get back my rhythm and confidence," Coria said.
He will be the highest-ranked player to play in Auckland in recent years. Only Rios, who played in Auckland as world No 2 in 1999, has been ranked higher.
The biggest challenge for the Argentine will be overcoming the tough travel schedule because he will play in Doha before flying to Auckland.
It is likely, therefore, he will have a Tuesday start and the opportunity to celebrate his birthday in style.
Already confirmed for the Open are former world No 4 Todd Martin, of the Us, 2001 winner Dominik Hrbaty, of Slovakia, and Kuerten.
