The new season is almost around the corner and the WTA stars are gradually announcing their opening calendar. Caroline Wozniacki and Viktoria Azarenka will start 2019 at the same time.
So it’s Auckland. Like last year, Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark will start the new year at the ASB Classic in New Zealand and has some points to defend.
In the 2018 edition of the tournament in Auckland, Melbourne defending champion Julia Görges played her way into the final and had to admit defeat in two sets. Görges will also be part of the game again as reigning title holder and will go into the matches as a hunted player in the first tournament of the new year.
In addition to Wozniacki, ex-number one Viktoria Azarenka has also been placed on the entry list and, unlike last year, will be allowed to participate in the tournament as planned. In last year’s issue there were problems with the departure of her son Leo from the USA, whereupon “Vika” cancelled her start.
Among others, Monica Puig and Eugenie Bouchard, who is getting better and better, will complete the field. “It will be very interesting, because “Vika”, “Genie” and “Monica” are not seeded and therefore could meet top players early”, explained tournament director Karl Burdge.
The first laps in particular promise the spectators high suspense, Burdge said: “This means that on Monday and Tuesday we will see Wozniacki, Görges, Venus Williams, Azarenka and Bouchard. I don’t remember ever seeing so many top stars in the first sessions.”