Coco Gauff first player that signs up for 'missing' Auckland Open

| by Sebastian Dahlman

The ASB Classic in Auckland is one of the events held ahead of the first Grand Slam of the season, and players like to start their season there.

However, in the last two seasons, that was not possible as the event was not held because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the ASB Classic in Auckland will return again, and the first player has already signed up for it, as Coco Gauff announced her participation.

The 18-year-old American played the event when it was held for the last time in 2020. She defeated Viktoria Kuzmova in the first round before losing to Laura Siegemund in the second.

The champion of the event was Serena Williams, who will certainly not return in 2023 as she's set to retire from professional tennis at the 2022 US Open.

Coco Gauff's new signature shoes to be launched already next week
Coco Gauff's new signature shoes to be launched already next week

However, the tournament organizers made sure to secure one of the rising stars on the WTA Tour, as only recently, Gauff played her maiden Grand Slam final, losing to Poland's Iga Swiatek in the Roland Garros final.

Now, the teenager announced her comeback to Auckland, and according to her own words, she missed New Zealand, and the ASB Classic, in her preparation ahead of the last two seasons.

"I am super-excited to be returning. I definitely missed New Zealand the last two years and I am excited to kick my year off back in Auckland."

Now, Gauff will begin her 2023 at the WTA 250 tournament in Auckland, and with the field for the tournament being expectedly weaker, as it's a WTA 250 event, she will be also the main favourite to win the tournament.

Whether she succeeds in doing that remains to be seen, but there's no doubt that the tournament will be a good preparation for the player ahead of the 2023 season, which will be an important one for her.

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