ASB Classic: Kiwi Paige Hourigan faces former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki in opening round

Paige Hourigan will meet Caroline Wozniacki in the opening round of the ASB Classic. Photos / Photosport

Kiwi Paige Hourigan's draw for the first round of the ASB Classic is somewhere between a dream and a nightmare, as she has been paired with former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki.

It's a privilege to share the court with an icon of the sport, especially in her penultimate tournament, as the Dane will retire after the Australian Open later this month.

But it's also a hugely intimidating prospect to face Wozniacki, who spent 71 weeks ranked the best player on the planet and has won 30 singles titles, including the 2018 Australian Open.

"I'm super excited," said Hourigan. "I'm going out there with nothing to lose. She's obviously a great player but I will go out there, do the best I can and do what I do best."

When asked if she would have preferred to face someone of lesser pedigree than the three time major finalist, Hourigan was philosophical.

"No draw is a good draw," said Hourigan. "Every player out here is amazing, so whoever I play was going to be a huge challenge.

"I'm grown up [watching] her, she is sponsored by Stella McCartney and that is ultimately who I want to be sponsored by, so I have always looked up to her. I am going to go out there, try not to think about it too much, just do me and we will see how it goes."

Hourigan revealed she wasn't completely surprised by how the chips fell, after a conversation with tournament director Karl Budge earlier in the week.

"I was kinda expecting it," said Hourigan. "Because I was speaking to [Karl] and I was like 'Imagine if I pull Wozniacki', and I was kinda laughing about it, so it is actually funny how it happens."

There is a unfathomable gulf in experience between the two — Hourigan will be playing her first WTA main draw match, while Wozniacki won at least one WTA title every year between 2008 and 2018, but the world No 438 has nothing to lose.

"Play my heart out and fight," said Hourigan, when asked what her approach will be.

The standout first round clash sees top seed Serena Williams against two time grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.

It's a tricky draw for the 23-time grand slam winner.

The Russian, who reached No 2 in the world in 2007 and has titles at Flushing Meadows and Roland Garros, plays a reduced schedule but is still very capable.

That was shown with a wild card appearance at Cincinnati last year, where she beat four top-15 players on a run to the final, including Sloane Stephens and world No 1 Ash Barty.

Williams holds a 10-3 head to head advantage, but the Russian has trumped her as recently as 2016, prevailing in three sets in Miami and will be ready to take advantage of any early season rust from Williams.

Young American Coco Gauff, who made headlines last year with her run to the fourth round at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old, faces 2019 ASB Classic semi-finalist Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova.

That's in a stacked top quarter of the draw, which also features 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Two time defending champion Julia Goerges has drawn a qualifier, while second seed and world No. 15 Petra Martic will go up against Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck.

New Zealand's other wildcard, 18-year-old Valentina Ivanov will play Swiss clay court specialist Jil Teichmann (world No 69).