Tennis: Young restless to win at Heineken Open

Three former winners and 13 Spanish speakers will line up at January's Heineken Open but considerable interest will be in a couple of players with American twangs.

American tennis has been searching for 'the next big things' for many years, but after many false dawns there's hope Donald Young and Ryan Harrison can bring an end the hunt.

Young was anointed hottest property in American tennis by John McEnroe after winning four junior grand slams and entered the world's top 100 as an 18-year-old.

His career stalled because of injury and form but the 22-year-old is now at a career-high 39 and reached the fourth round of this year's US Open.

Harrison received a wild card to play in Auckland - another is likely to go to the New Zealand No 1 - but is one of only two teenagers in the world's top 100.

"He's a character and you won't die wondering what he's feeling on court so he will provide some entertainment, some fire," tournament director Richard Palmer said of Harrison.

"If he hits his straps, who knows how far he can go in that draw?"

Young up-and-coming Americans have been to the Heineken Open before. John Isner won in 2010 and Sam Querrey was a finalist in 2009 but they could struggle to claim the winner's cheque if top seed and world No 5 David Ferrer plays to his potential.

The defending champion has had an excellent year and only last week did what most have failed to do in 2011 - beat world No 1 Novak Djokovic. He also upset Andy Murray on his way to the semifinals of the ATP world tours finals.

Palmer has assembled a strong field, with the eight seeds ranked in the world's top 39 and the cutoff for the 19 direct acceptances at 67 but there will be the usual criticisms of the heavy Spanish flavour and amount of regulars. The circumstances and prize money on offer are considerably different but critics should be mindful of the relative strength of this week's field for the New Zealand Golf Open, said Palmer.

"I am very, very happy with what I have. Two top-10 players for the second time ever and they are the only top-10 players playing a tour event that week. There are no top 10-players playing in Sydney. Then if you look at what we have behind that in Fernando Verdasco, Juan Ignacio Chela and Kevin Anderson you have a lot of very classy players.

"The ATP Tour is probably the biggest sporting circuit in the world after football. It would be churlish to say 19 guys in the top 67 in the world is ho-hum. The likes of [the New Zealand Golf Open] would die to have 19 players in the top 67 in the world. We are obviously different to golf but I am very comfortable with the field we've got. I think it's fantastic."

Along with Ferrer, who won in 2007 and 2011, other returning previous winners are Philipp Kohlschreiber (2008) and Fernando Gonzalez (2005). Juan Carlos Ferrero (2008), Tommy Robredo (2007) and Olivier Rochus (2005) are also former runners-up.

Gonzalez, who rose to no 5 in the world in 2007, will use his protected ranking of 55 to gain direct entry to the Heineken Open. He is presently ranked 300 in the world but is returning from injury.

The full field for the Heineken Open in Auckland from January 9-14, with world rankings, is:

5. David Ferrer (ESP),10. Nicolas Almagro (ESP), 24. Fernando Verdasco (ESP), 26. Juan Monaco (ARG), 29. Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG), 32. Kevin Anderson (RSA), 37. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA), 39. Donald Young (USA), 43. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER), 50. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP), 51. Tommy Robredo (ESP), 53. Albert Montanes (ESP), 55. Santiago Giraldo (COL), *55. Fernando Gonzalez (CHI), 58. Potito Starace (ITA), 60. Carlos Berlocq (ARG), 65. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP), 66. Albert Ramos (ESP), 67. Olivier Rochus (BEL), W/C Ryan Harrison (USA).

* protected entry