ARTICLE Ferrero in doubt for Heineken Open
Former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero is in doubt for the Heineken Open tennis tournament in Auckland.
When the tournament organisers received the field yesterday from the ATP (international men's tournament authority), Ferrero's name was missing.
Tournament director Graham Pearce said both Ferrero and the ATP had confirmed his entry earlier, but he was baffled when the list, without his name, arrived yesterday.
The tournament organisers are not allowed to fit Ferrero or any player into the tournament, whether in the main draw or through wild card, without ATP approval and there is a concern that if the list is not amended Ferrero will miss out.
If Ferrero is included, one player in the current list, will have to be dropped. Wild cards have already been allocated.
But Pearce said the field was so strong that Ferrero's absence wouldn't be noticed.
He said he'd know in the next 48 hours what ATP intended to do.
Meanwhile the draw released yesterday for the January 9-14 tournament shows that all eight seeded players are inside the world top 35.
Former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero is in doubt for the Heineken Open tennis tournament in Auckland.
When the tournament organisers received the field yesterday from the ATP (international men's tournament authority), Ferrero's name was missing.
Tournament director Graham Pearce said both Ferrero and the ATP had confirmed his entry earlier, but he was baffled when the list, without his name, arrived yesterday.
The tournament organisers are not allowed to fit Ferrero or any player into the tournament, whether in the main draw or through wild card, without ATP approval and there is a concern that if the list is not amended Ferrero will miss out.
If Ferrero is included, one player in the current list, will have to be dropped. Wild cards have already been allocated.
But Pearce said the field was so strong that Ferrero's absence wouldn't be noticed.
He said he'd know in the next 48 hours what ATP intended to do.
Meanwhile the draw released yesterday for the January 9-14 tournament shows that all eight seeded players are inside the world top 35.
