Tournament Director Karl Budge is thrilled to have such high calibre players confirmed for the tournament. “This is clearly the best field we have ever had here in Auckland. It will be the first time we have had two top 10 players, when you then add in three further Grand Slam winners, our two time defending champion (Goerges) and the two best prospects on the WTA, you have an incredible line up”
The 2019 revelation 19-year old Bianca Andreescu and 23-times Grand Slam winner
Serena Williams will be the top 2 seeds in Auckland. Andreescu saw her career taking off right here last year, when she stole the hearts of the New-Zealand crowds coming in as a qualifier and beating both Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki on her way to her maiden WTA tour final.
The tournament is generally expected to become a battle between young & experienced. The anticipation of talented American teens Amanda Anisimova and - returning from injury - Catherine 'CiCi' Bellis is great. But maybe more can be expected of 15-y-o Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff, who shocked the tennis scene in 2019 by
beating Jelena Ostapenko in the Linz final, only after being admitted as a lucky loser.
Defending champion
Julia Goerges will be looking to make it three for three, as she's won the tournament two times in a row. Tournament Director Karl Budge claimed: “There is just so much depth throughout the field. Our second to last entry was the gold medallist from Rio (Monica Puig). Players such as Garcia, Kasatkina and Carla Suárez-Navarro have all been in or just outside the top ten for some time, yet will be un-seeded here in Auckland. It is a staggeringly strong field.”
“The
ASB Classic has become a staple part of the Kiwi summer, and this year is no different. From the returning champions through to some of the newer faces, we’re always excited to see who will be contesting the title, and the announcement today of a further three grand slam champions really cements this as one of the best line-up’s we’ve seen here at the ASB Classic.” Budge concluded.
The final line up and draw for the 2020 ASB Classic Women's Week in Auckland: