
Top-class tennis will return to New Zealand next January for the first time in three years with big names promised for the men's and women's Auckland Open tournaments, organizers said on Tuesday.
Serena Williams was the last champion of the WTA event at the ASB Tennis Centre in early 2020 before New Zealand locked down its borders in an attempt to keep the COVID-19 virus out of the country.
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Travel restrictions have eased this year and the government said in May that international borders would open fully to visitors from the end of July. This has cleared the way for the Australian Open warm-up events to return to New Zealand's biggest city under a new tournament director, Frenchman Nicolas Lamperin.
"The tournaments in Auckland are loved by players and amongst the best-attended 250 events on the calendar," said Lamperin, a player agent whose clients have included Marion Bartoli, Stan Wawrinka, Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils.
"I'm excited to get to work and continue the legacy of what is one of the highlights of the summer down under."
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Frenchman Ugo Humbert won the 2020 edition of the ATP tournament, which is traditionally played the week after the women's event. The 2023 tournaments are slated to run from Jan 2-14, organizers said, with the Australian Open expected to get under way in Melbourne on Jan. 16.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.
mandoist09-11-2026 - Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!
mandoist09-11-2026 - "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?
mandoist09-11-2026 - Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.
mandoist08-11-2026 - Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??
mandoist08-11-2026 - Wtf? Why is there no reason? And what about the men's?Bel08-11-2026
- One step by another step -- WTA continues to 'lose the plot'. Too many hi-tech microphones being installed at most venues!!! Remove them (especially those along the hallways, sidewalks, and pathways throughout the venues. Not to mention (most of all) remove the mic's from the Players/Coaches Box.
mandoist06-11-2026 - Enough of her bullshit. Go marry someone.
mandoist06-11-2026 - Don't you just love this young lady!? We fans often expect athletes to be supermen and superwomen, often forgetting that they WILL GET TIRED! I love Alex's perspective. Tiredness for an athlete should never be viewed as a negative, especially if you are healthy, taking care of your body and mental health and putting in the work. What a mature perspective. Good for you, Alex!Rapunzel05-11-2026
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