2026 Schedule Update | Elina Svitolina and Emma Navarro set to make highly anticipated returns to ASB Classic

Elina Svitolina and Emma Navarro are the latest players to share their plans for the start of the 2026 season. The pair are set to travel to New Zealand to compete in the ASB Classic. The event, held in the Auckland, will commence 5th-11th January 2026.

The WTA 250 event is a popular tournament for players to start their season at. The women's event is played out in its entirety ahead of the ATP competition swiftly following in suit. It gives the players a foundation to build off as they ramp up preparation ahead of the Australian Open kicking off on Monday, 12th January.

Back in 2024, Svitolina went on a deep run in Auckland, making it all the way to the final. It was her first event since the US Open after skipping the whole of the Asian swing. She would go on to squander a one-set advantage against the number one seed Coco Gauff. She never had the chance to return for vengeance at the start of this campaign as she recovered from a foot injury. She did make it back to feature in the Australian Open, where she was defeated in the quarter-finals by eventual champion Madison Keys.

She enjoyed a positive 2025, winning a title in Rouen and going deep in other big events. Similar to 2024, she bypassed the chance to compete in the Asian swing amid mental and emotional exhaustion. Fully replenished, the world number 14 is set to emerge back into the spotlight with a big 2026 ahead. She will be hoping to follow in her husband, Gael Monfils, footsteps and win the event. The Frenchman tasted glory over Zizou Bergs at the start of the year in Auckland. Svitolina will be hoping to replicate this feat and start the year as she means to go on.

It was a similar story for Navarro back in 2024 when she last competed. She climaxed at the semi-finals before losing to a ruthless Gauff. However, she did follow this up with a WTA 250 title in the Hobart International.

Despite this success, she decided to go a different pathway in 2025. After not hitting a ball since the Wuhan Open, she competed in the Brisbane International and Adelaide International, experiencing disappointing early exits in both ahead of a quarter-final run in the Australian Open. It was a highlight of what was a slightly underwhelming year from the American. She dropped out of the top 10 to finish 2025 in 15th. While there were some great results, early exits plagued what could have been another season of progress. The 24-year-old ended her season once again after Wuhan, opting to take a long break. In this time, she has planned out what events she wants to start the year with, reverting back to the ASB Classic.

This is a huge delight for tournament director Nicolas Lamperin. “Emma is another high-quality player who has supported our tournament in the past, and we are very grateful that she will return again," he said in a statement. "Like several young players previously, Emma has worked exceedingly hard to rise near the top of the world rankings. She has an excellent all-round game and is noted for her exceptional work ethic. We always take delight in the progress of players who have supported us at the ASB Classic and then risen to the top in women’s tennis as Emma achieved in 2024."

Svitolina and Navarro will be competing alongside the likes of New Zealand star Lulu Sun and former champion Venus Williams. However, Naomi Osaka will no longer be participating in the event.