AUCKLAND

Formerly known as the Auckland Open, the ASB Classic is a WTA 250 tournament held on outdoor hard courts in beautiful Auckland, New Zealand. Since the first Open in 1956, women from all over the world have competed to become Auckland champion. Australia’s Mary Bevis Hawton won the inaugural event in 1956, but New Zealand’s own Ruia Morrison taking home the title in 1959 and 1960. To this day, she is still the only Kiwi to have won in Auckland. Australians dominated the early decades of this tournament’s history, but the ASB Classic is now a showcase of the sport’s strong competition across the globe. Women from the United States, Germany, Greece, and more have all earned bragging rights at this event. There is a rich history of tennis in Auckland. Who will write the next chapter?