ASB Classic

The ASB Classic in Auckland is a joint ATP and WTA event belonging to the 250 tier generally held in consecutive weeks of the tennis calendar.

The ASB Classic, also known as the Auckland Open, is a longstanding tournament in New Zealand that features both men and women. It belongs to the 250-tier of events on both Tours, but it's generally not held in the same week. The women's tournament is usually held first, as the WTA event is played in the first week of the new year, while the ATP event is held one week later.

The matches are played at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland, New Zealand, which has stood since 1922 but has undergone renovations in recent years to expand the facilities. Tennis was initially played on grass but switched to hard courts in the 1970s, and it is still played on hard courts.

The first international event was held in 1956, and it has been a longstanding part of the tennis calendar since. The ASB Classic wasn't held in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned in 2023.

In the past, the tournament was known by many different names. At the start, it was called the Auckland Invitation, and in 1959, it was also named the New Zealand Invitation. Between 1963 and 1968, the tournament was known as the Auckland Wills International, and for one decade after that, it was called the New Zealand Open.

Since then, it has mostly been called the Auckland Open, but the official name is currently the ASB Classic, as one of New Zealand's biggest banks, ASB Bank, sponsors the tournament.

Many greats have won the event over the years, including Australia's Roy Emerson, who is tied with David Ferrer for the most ATP trophies at 4. When it comes to the WTA side of history, Australia's Evonne Goolagong has the most with three, as the list of former champions also includes the likes of Serena Williams.

The tournament is a popular destination for players at the start of the season because of New Zealand's proximity to Australia. Because of extremely strong fields at tournaments in Australia, some might opt to play in New Zealand and then hop on a four-hour flight from Auckland to Melbourne.

The 2023 editions of the event were won by Richard Gasquet, who defeated Cameron Norrie in the men's final, and Coco Gauff, who defeated Rebeka Masarova in the women's final.

In 2024, Gauff returned to defend her title, beating Elina Svitolina in a close final, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3 to claim her second consecutive trophy at the event. On the men's side, Alejandro Tabilo overcame Taro Daniel in the final of the 2024 edition.

Unfortunately for the tournament organizers, Gauff chose the United Cup over the ASB Classic in 2025, significantly weakening the field. Clara Tauson won the tournament in her absence, even though the win came through Naomi Osaka's retirement, as the Japanese player led by a set in the final. Gael Monfils won the men's event in 2025.

The tournament continues to hold a solid place in both calendars and managed to attract great fields of players in 2026 as well. The likes of Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, and Ben Shelton all chose to start their seasons in Auckland in 2026.