Tennis: Venus Williams to return to ASB Classic

Venus Williams in action at the ASB Classic in Auckland in 2014.

One of the biggest names in world sport, Venus Williams, will return for the 2015 ASB Classic as part of the NZ Festival of Tennis.

The ASB Classic runs from January 5th-10th 2015.

Williams, along with eventual winner Ana Ivanovic, lit up the ASB Tennis Arena in 2014, in what was one of the best finals ever seen at international level.

"What Venus did for us last year was incredible. Any Grand Slam would've been thrilled with that final!" said Tournament Director, Karl Budge.

Currently at world number 20, Williams has had an outstanding year reaching the top echelon of the women's game once more.

Following her sell-out performance in Auckland, she reached the third round of Wimbledon, and was a finalist in Montreal where she defeated her sister Serena in the semi-final. She also reached the finals in Quebec.

Amazingly, her 45th career title came at the premier level event in Dubai where she got revenge on Ivanovic en route to the title.

The tennis super star has enjoyed a legendary career which has spanned two decades, and includes seven Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals.

Over the past twenty years, she has been named as WTA's Player of the Year, Glamour Magazine's Woman of the Year, and one of Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World. Venus has also made a huge mark off the court spearheading the fight for equal prize money.

"We are so excited that Venus will be joining us for the ASB Classic again," says Tournament Director, Karl Budge.

"It's not often we get an opportunity to see a superstar of this nature let alone have her back two years in a row. She has become a big fan of this event and it's great that tennis fans will have the chance to see her."

"We are proud to have been working with Tennis Auckland for nearly twenty years to bring world class women's tennis to New Zealand," says ASB Chief Executive Barbara Chapman.

"The return of a player of Venus Williams' calibre for the second year in a row speaks volumes of the tournament's international reputation among both players and fans."