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WTA Auckland Open

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

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.

WTA Auckland Open
Tournament information
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 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
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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". 1 News. 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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