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WTA Auckland Open

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For the Men's event, see ATP Auckland Open.

WTA Auckland Open
WTA Tour
Founded1956; 68 years ago (1956)
LocationAuckland
New Zealand
VenueASB Tennis Centre
CategoryWTA 250
SurfaceHard (Plexicushion) - outdoors
Draw32S / 24Q / 16D
Prize moneyUS$267,082 (2024)
Websiteasbclassic.co.nz
Current champions (2024)
SinglesUnited States Coco Gauff
DoublesKazakhstan Anna Danilina
Slovakia Viktória Hrunčáková

The WTA Auckland Open (currently sponsored by ASB Bank and called the ASB Classic) is a professional women's tennis tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. The tournament is played annually, in the first week of January, at the ASB Tennis Centre in the suburb of Parnell, just east of the Central Business District. It is an International level tournament in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) World Tour. The equivalent men's event, the ATP Auckland Open, is played in the following week, immediately ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, the Australian Open.

The ASB Classic returned in 2023 after the 2021 and 2022 events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic owing travel restrictions for international visitors to New Zealand.[1][2][3]

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia was the 2014 singles champion

History

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In 1886 the first open tournament held in Auckland was the Auckland Championships[4] was the precursor event to this one, but was not always staged. In the 1920s major new tennis venues were built in Auckland for the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association (now called Tennis Auckland), as well as Wellington and Christchurch comprising both grass and hard courts.[5] In 1920 when the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association was looking for a permanent base, the only available site was a tip in Stanley Street. Undeterred, the local clubs raised the-then enormous sum of 1,800 pounds to prepare the site and build new courts. For the next 30 years the Tennis Centre in Stanley Street was home to local tennis matches. In 1942 the Auckland Championships were discontinued. In 1954 a second version of the Auckland Championships was revived that is still being staged today.[6]

In 1956 Auckland hosted its first new permanent international tournament, known as the 'Auckland Invitation'.[7] In 1959 the tournament was renamed as the New Zealand Invitation before returning to its former name in 1960. By the 1960s the shuttle bus fare from town to Stanley Street was sixpence. Admission was five shillings for the first three days and 7/6 for finals and semifinals – a whole tournament for the equivalent of $4. By the 1970s, 25 cents got you all-day parking next door at Carlaw Park. The tournament was played on outdoor grass courts from its inaugural edition in 1956 until 1977, switching to hard courts in 1978.

In 1963 this event was rebranded as the Auckland Wills International tournament. In 1969 its official name was altered again to the New Zealand Open. In 1971 its official name was changed to the New Zealand Centennial Open for one year only before returning to its former name until 1981 when the event was separated into the ATP Auckland Open for men and the WTA Auckland Open for women. Between 1979 and 1989 the men's editions of the tournament were part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit.

From 1969, the first edition in the open era of tennis, until 1981 the joint tournament was known under its sponsored name 'Benson and Hedges Open'. When the event was split into two tournaments the men's sponsorship continued as the Benson and Hedges Open. Then from 1998 until 2015 it was named the 'Heineken Open'.[8] There was no women's events for the years 1983 to 1984 and 1986. In 1987 the women's event resumed and its sponsorship name was the Nutri-Metics Open until 1989, then called the Nutri-Metics International in 1990, then the Nutri-Metics Bendon Classic from 1991 to 1992, then the Amway Classic from 1993 to 1996. In 1997 it was branded as the ASB Classic a women's tournament.

After being separated for 34 years, the WTA and ATP merged the event in 2016 and both tournaments are now known collectively as the ASB Classic. Heineken will still be a sponsor but will have a diminished role in anticipation of new tennis regulations restricting alcohol sponsorship.[9]

Both the 2021 and 2022 Auckland Open were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In regards to the 2022 cancellation, organizers cited New Zealand's strict quarantine rules as making it intractable for players, officials, and all other required staff to be admitted into the country.[10][2]

Finals

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Singles

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For historical winners of this event see Auckland Championships 1886–1942
Year Champions Runners-up Score
Auckland Invitation
1956[11] Australia Mary Bevis Hawton Australia Thelma Coyne Long 8–6, 10–8
1957[11] Australia Margaret Hellyer New Zealand Ruia Morrison 6–4, 6–4
1958[11] United Kingdom Angela Mortimer New Zealand Ruia Morrison 6–2, 6–1
New Zealand Invitation
1959[11] New Zealand Ruia Morrison Australia Betty Holstein 6–4, 6–4
Auckland Invitation
1960[11] New Zealand Ruia Morrison (2) Australia Margaret Smith 6–2, 6–4
1961[11] Australia Jan Lehane New Zealand Ruia Morrison 6–0, 6–3
1962[11] United States Darlene Hard New Zealand Ruia Morrison 7–5, 7–5
Auckland Wills International
1963[11] Australia Lesley Turner New Zealand Ruia Morrison-Davy 6–2, 6–1
1964[11] Australia Margaret Smith Australia Jan Lehane 6–4, 3–6, 6–0
1965[11] United Kingdom Rita Bentley Australia Jill Blackman 6–4, 6–3
1966[11] Australia Margaret Smith (2) Australia Kerry Melville 6–1, 6–1
1967[11] United States Rosie Casals France Françoise Dürr 6–2, 7–5
1968[11] Australia Kerry Melville Australia Gail Sherriff 8–6, 6–1
↓  Open Era  ↓
New Zealand Open
1969[11] United Kingdom Ann Haydon Jones Australia Karen Krantzcke 6–1, 6–1
1970[11] United Kingdom Ann Haydon Jones (2) Australia Kerry Melville 0–6, 6–4, 6–1
New Zealand Centennial Open
1971[11] Australia Margaret Smith Court (3) Australia Evonne Goolagong 3–6, 7–6, 6–2
New Zealand Open
1972[11] Australia Kerry Melville United States Rosie Casals 6–2, 6–0
1973[11] Australia Evonne Goolagong New Zealand Marilyn Pryde 6–0 6–1
1974[11] Australia Evonne Goolagong (2) United States Ann Kiyomura 6–3, 6–1
1975[11] Australia Evonne Goolagong (3) United Kingdom Linda Mottram 6–2, 7–5
1976[11] United Kingdom Sue Barker West Germany Helga Niessen Masthoff 6–5, rained out title shared
1977[11] West Germany Heidi Eisterlehner Australia Karen Krantzcke 6–4, 6–4
1978[11] Sweden Helena Anliot Australia Marilyn Tesch 6–4, 6–3
1979[11] Australia Pam Whytcross New Zealand Brenda Perry 6–3, 7–5
WTA Auckland Open
1980[11] United States Janet Newberry New Zealand Judy Connor Chaloner 6–2, 6–1
1981[11] Australia Pam Whytcross (2) New Zealand Chris Newton 3–6, 6–4, 6–1
1982[11] Germany Susan Hagey New Zealand Belinda Cordwell 6–4, 6–2
↓  Category 1  ↓
1986[11] United Kingdom Anne Hobbs Australia Louise Field 6–4, 6–2
1987[11] United States Gretchen Magers United States Terry Phelps 6–2, 6–3
1988[11] United States Patty Fendick United Kingdom Sara Gomer 6–3, 7–6
1989[11] United States Patty Fendick (2) New Zealand Belinda Cordwell 6–2, 6–0
↓ Tier V ↓
1990[11] Soviet Union Leila Meskhi Belgium Sabine Appelmans 6–1, 6–0
1991[11] Czechoslovakia Eva Švíglerová Czechoslovakia Andrea Strnadová 6–2, 0–6, 6–1
1992[11] United States Robin White Czechoslovakia Andrea Strnadová 6–0, 6–0
↓ Tier IV ↓
1993[11] South Africa Elna Reinach United States Caroline Kuhlman 6–0, 6–0
1994[11] United States Ginger Helgeson-Nielsen Argentina Inés Gorrochategui 7–6(7–4), 6–3
1995[11] Australia Nicole Bradtke United States Ginger Helgeson-Nielsen 3–6, 6–2, 6–1
1996[11] United States Sandra Cacic Austria Barbara Paulus 6–3, 1–6, 6–4
1997[11] Austria Marion Maruska Austria Judith Wiesner 6–3, 6–1
1998[11] Belgium Dominique van Roost Italy Silvia Farina 4–6, 7–6, 7–5
1999 France Julie Halard-Decugis Belgium Dominique van Roost 6–4, 6–1
2000 Luxembourg Anne Kremer[11] Zimbabwe Cara Black 6–4, 6–4
↓ Tier V ↓
2001[11] United States Meilen Tu Argentina Paola Suárez 7–6(10–8), 6–2
↓ Tier IV ↓
2002[11] Israel Anna Smashnova Russia Tatiana Panova 6–2, 6–2
2003[11] Greece Eleni Daniilidou South Korea Cho Yoon-jeong 6–4, 4–6, 7–62
2004[11] Greece Eleni Daniilidou (2) United States Ashley Harkleroad 6–3, 6–2
2005[11] Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik Japan Shinobu Asagoe 5–7, 7–5, 6–4
2006[11] France Marion Bartoli Russia Vera Zvonareva 6–2, 6–2
2007[11] Serbia Jelena Janković Russia Vera Zvonareva 7–6(11–9), 5–7, 6–3
2008[11] United States Lindsay Davenport France Aravane Rezaï 6–2, 6–2
↓  International  ↓
2009[11] Russia Elena Dementieva Russia Elena Vesnina 6–4, 6–1
2010[11] Belgium Yanina Wickmayer Italy Flavia Pennetta 6–3, 6–2
2011[11] Hungary Gréta Arn Belgium Yanina Wickmayer 6–3, 6–3
2012[11] China Zheng Jie Italy Flavia Pennetta 2–6, 6–3, 2–0 Ret.
2013[11] Poland Agnieszka Radwańska Belgium Yanina Wickmayer 6–4, 6–4
2014[11] Serbia Ana Ivanovic United States Venus Williams 6–2, 5–7, 6–4
2015[11] United States Venus Williams Denmark Caroline Wozniacki 2–6, 6–3, 6–3
Auckland Open
2016[11] United States Sloane Stephens Germany Julia Görges 7–5, 6–2
2017[11] United States Lauren Davis Croatia Ana Konjuh 6–3, 6–1
2018[11] Germany Julia Görges Denmark Caroline Wozniacki 6–4, 7–6(7–4)
2019[11] Germany Julia Görges (2) Canada Bianca Andreescu 2–6, 7–5, 6–1
2020[11] United States Serena Williams United States Jessica Pegula 6–3, 6–4
2021 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022
↓  WTA 250  ↓
2023 United States Coco Gauff Spain Rebeka Masarova 6–1, 6–1
2024 United States Coco Gauff (2) Ukraine Elina Svitolina 6–7(4–7), 6–3, 6–3

Event names

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This tournament had just its official names from 1956 to 1968 with no sponsorship. In 1969 following the start of the open era sponsorship begins and the event carries both its official designation and its sponsorship title.

Official

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Name Years Event type
Auckland Invitation 1956–1958, 1960–1962 combined
New Zealand Invitation 1959 combined
Auckland Wills International 1963–1968 combined
New Zealand Open 1969–1979 combined
Auckland Open 1980–1981 combined
WTA Auckland Open 1982–2015 women's
Auckland Open 2016–current combined
[edit]

The tournaments sponsored names have been as follows:

Name Years Event type
Benson & Hedges Open 1969–1970, 1960–1962 combined
Benson & Hedges Centennial Open 1971 combined
Benson & Hedges Open 1972–1981 combined
events separate (1982–2015) & no women events (1983–85)
Nutri-Metics Open 1987–1989 women's
Nutri-Metics International 1990 women's
Nutri-Metics Bendon Classic 1991–1992 women's
Amway Classic 1993–1996 women's
ASB Classic 1997–2015 women's
events combine again (2016)
ASB Classic 2016–current combined

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2021 ASB Classic cancelled". Stuff. 6 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Tennis: ASB Classic cancelled for second straight year". NZ Herald. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  3. ^ "ASB Classic to return to Auckland after 2-year hiatus". 1News. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  4. ^ "The Auckland Tennis Championships". New Zealand Herald: Volume XXIX. No. 8813. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 February 1892. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  5. ^ Romanos, Joseph (5 September 2013). "Tennis: Consolidation, 1920s to 1940s". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage, New Zealand. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Auckland Champs Roll of Honour". Tennis Auckland. 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  7. ^ Romanos (2013)
  8. ^ "Tennis: Net profits the name of the game". New Zealand Herald. 5 January 2002.
  9. ^ "ATP and WTA Auckland events merge". Tennisnews.com. 28 August 2015.
  10. ^ "2021 ASB Classic cancelled". Stuff. 6 October 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi "Roll of Champions 1956-2020". ASB Classic. Tennis Auckland. 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
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