Ferrero confirms his assistance to the Auckland Open,which will be played in January

Former world tennis No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero has confirmed he will return to Auckland in January.Next years appareance will be his sixth appearance in Auckland, having first played in 2000 as a teenager, beating Swiss ace Roger Federer on an outside court and continuing to the quarterfinals.

He lost a tense 2008 final to Philipp Kohlschreiber and returned this year, with the pair meeting in the second round in what was one of the tournament highlights. Ferrero lost that match in a third set tiebreak.

Heineken Open tournament director Richard Palmer said Ferrero had a great pedigree at the tournament and around the world."You don't get to win a Grand Slam and be number one in the world without having exceptional talent and that's just what Ferrero has. He's also had a great year winning a title and making the quarters at Wimbledon. He's extremely popular with the crowd in Auckland and knows how to play and how to entertain.".