Gauff and Raducanu to open 2023 Auckland ASB Classic

• ASB Classic will be the 2023 season debut for Coco Gauff.
• WTA 250 tournament has an 18-year-old American as its top seed.
• Auckland is back on WTA Tour after a two-year hiatus.

The ASB Classic, which starts on January 2 here, will serve as the 2023 season debut for World No. 7 Coco Gauff.

The WTA 250 tournament, which is back on the calendar after a two-year hiatus, has an 18-year-old American as its top seed.

The 2016 Champion Sloane Stephens, the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova (by special ranking), and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez are all at the top of the entrance list alongside Gauff. Emma Raducanu, ranked 75th, who won the 2021 US Open, will start her season in Auckland as well.

The final direct entry into the main draw is Caty McNally, who is ranked No. 93.

Gauff was quoted by WTA as stating, “It was probably one of my favourite tournaments that I’ve ever played and Auckland is such a lovely place that I am anxious to go back.”

“I decided to come back because I adore the competition.

With Covid-19, I definitely missed it, and I wasn’t sure whether they would bring it back “Added she.

Wild cards have been given to Brenda Fruhvirtova, 15, and Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner. Brenda will join her older sister Linda in the main draw after she received straight entry.

For the first time since Serena Williams won her last WTA title there in 2020 by defeating Jessica Pegula in the championship match, Auckland is back on the WTA Tour schedule. Due to the worldwide pandemic, the previous two were postponed.

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