Tennis: Offer goes out to French Open champ to return to ASB Classic

French Open women's champion Jelena Ostapenko has been offered a return to the ASB Classic next year. Photo / Getty Images.

It got lost a bit in New Zealand due to Michael Venus's stunning triumph in the French Open men's doubles final, but talks are already underway to bring Roland Garros women's champion Jelena Ostapenko back to Auckland for next summer's ASB Classic.

The Latvian who turned 20 on the day of her semi-final triumph over Timea Bacsinszky is a breath of fresh air for the women's game and having won her first Grand Slam with a phenomenal display of power hitting, must be top of tournament director Karl Budge's shopping list.

Budge has confirmed to NZME he chatted to Ostapenko's agent Ugo Colombini when he was in Paris and again by phone soon after the final where the Latvian came back from 6-4, 3-0 down to beat Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

To think she claimed her maiden Grand Slam title having not advanced past the fourth round in a Major before and entering the tournament with a ranking of 47 is staggering. But it's also a sign of the void that exists in the women's game following the enforced absence of Serena Williams through pregnancy, Maria Sharapova's drugs ban and now injury issues, Victoria Azarenka after having a baby and Petra Kvitova only just making her return following the attack in her home last December.

Ostapenko who will rise to 12 when the WTA rankings come out later today will clearly be in hot demand with the bigger WTA tournament in Brisbane no doubt also keen to sign her. But what perhaps gives Budge the upper hand is the fact he handed the then 17 year old a wildcard on a three year deal in 2015. Unfortunately that deal ended after this year's ASB Classic where Ostapenko showed glimpses of her talent in a first round demolition of New Zealand's Marina Erakovic and went on to lose to the eventual champion Lauren Davis in the semi-finals.

Loyalty sometimes counts in tennis, but not always and ultimately Budge will have to offer a creative package to lure her back. In pure money terms he won't be able to compete with the rival tournaments in Brisbane and Shenzhen.

Ostapenko cracked 54 winners past Halep in the final, her forehand is electric but her backhand may just about be the best shot in women's tennis right now.

Four times Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters told NZME Ostapenko showed remarkable composure that belied her inexperience.

"From the minute she stepped out there, the first game she played out there was impressive and the last game was very impressive. I am surprised the way she was able to handle the moment and it's great to see." Clijsters said.

Clijsters did however sound a word of warning for the 20 year old.

"The new challenge will be to learn how to deal with the emotions, every player is going to look at her and want to beat her. It will be huge to deal with. Her life is going to change immensely so we will see how she deals with that."

Perhaps the relatively boutique feel to Auckland's ASB Classic will continue to be Ostapenko's preferred destination when she starts preparations for next year's Australian Open. She's an excitement machine, let's hope so.

Matt Brown is at the French Open thanks to Emirates Airline​