Tennis betting: The Heineken Open is the biggest men’s professional sporting event in New Zealand, held in Auckland since 1956. Played in the week prior to the Australian Open, the ATP Tennis World Tour 250 event is a crucial stop in preparation for the year's first Grand Slam tournament. David Ferrer won the Auckland title in 2011, and went on to reach the Melbourne semi-finals. Defending champion and world #5 David Ferrer leads the charge at the 2012 Heineken Open, which starts with the qualifying rounds on Saturday 7 January. The two-time winner has come off his most successful year on the ATP, highlighted by his run to the Australian Open semifinals and a berth at the ATP World Tour Finals (where he beat world #1 Novak Djokovic). Ferrer also played a key role in helping Spain win the Davis Cup. Ferrer is one of seven Spaniards playing in the main draw, with world #10 Nicolas Almagro, former top tenner Tennis Fernando Verdasco and former world #1 Juan Carlos Ferrero also entered. Verdsaco is making his Auckland debut and the world Tennis #24 will be hoping to start the year on the right track with a strong run here. Other new faces include two young Americans - Donald Young and Ryan Harrison. Young clocked up some big wins in 2011 Tennis over Andy Murray and Gael Monfils and made his first career final. Harrison is one of two teens in the top 100