USA's Coco Gauff with the winners trophy after victory in the ASB Classic final. Photosport
USA's Coco Gauff with the winners trophy after victory in the ASB Classic final. Photosport
ASB Classic bosses hope to entice Coco Gauff back to Auckland next year — but admit it won’t be straightforward.
The American teenager was a massive drawcard throughout the tournament and it’s not an exaggeration to say that her presence in Sunday’s final — and her resounding win — savedthe event as a spectacle, after the brutal impact of the weather.
The 18-year-old lived up to all the hype and expectation on court, while her star quality and engaging personality made waves off it.
“We had built a field around her and she was truly amazing, on and off the court,” ASB Classic tournament director Nicolas Lamperin told the Herald. “She never complained about anything, about the conditions, the delay, the rain and was doing a lot of promotions for us, around the tournament, around the city. Things we never asked for — it was all natural. She is the perfect ambassador for the sport.”
Getting Gauff was a coup, as there are few female players that match her all-round appeal, with only a couple in the top-20 and perhaps Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu outside that.
The presence of the US$15 million mixed-teams event — which was won by the United States this year — might be an obstacle in 2024, while the Adelaide WTA event also has deep pockets, and Gauff will be in demand.
“It is always going to be challenging, we need to be honest and realistic,” said Lamperin. “The fact that she won this year is going to help us. Players like to keep the good memories and tend to come back where they have the good memories. But if she goes all the way in a couple of grand slams this year, then it is obviously a very different conversation. But we will do everything it takes, within reason, to make it happen.”
For her part, Gauff was making all the right noises, after her emphatic 6-1 6-1 victory over Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova in Sunday’s final.
Despite the jarring week weather wise, her stay here had been “perfect”.
“I couldn’t ask for a better start to my season,” said Gauff.
She arrived on 28 December and enjoyed spending a week with her family, a pattern she hopes to repeat at the start of each campaign. “It felt like a vacation,” said Gauff. “My family was here. I was super relaxed.”
The 18-year-old was unequivocal about her desire to return, even despite the challenging nature of the week.
“Yeah, definitely,” said Gauff. “I mean, the weather was not really a reason for me to say no to coming back. That’s just part of Mother Nature.”
She was thrilled to be the first Auckland winner since Serena Williams (2020), which offered another reason to be here next year.
“It’s pretty cool to have your name next to your idol — it’s going to be there forever,” said Gauff. “I’m glad that I was able to follow that up. My name is not [engraved] on it yet but I will take a picture of it and just savour it. And then hopefully next year, I’ll see my name on it.”
The world No 7 was the most dominant Auckland champion in decades, maintaining a level that no one else could match, highlighted by the semifinal demolition of seventh-seed Danka Kovinic.
She also handled the pressure, becoming the first top seed to take the Auckland title since Agnieszka Radwanska in 2013.
“I was just fighting for every point, no matter the score, and really just enjoying the moment,” said Gauff. “I feel like each match I improved.”
It was the ideal preparation for the Australian Open, with the confidence and rhythm she has gained. She felt some extra pressure on Sunday — given the huge expectation — but it didn’t really show.
Gauff found her range from the start, backed up by a big serve and accurate groundstrokes.
Scheduled for 5pm, the final didn’t get underway until 6.45pm, due to rain. With Gauff holding set point at 5-1, further showers took the players off court for almost two hours.
During the interval, Gauff admitted she felt “sleepy” — after a long week of delays and waiting and a “little tired” during the second warm up, but quickly snapped into gear.
“Once you start the match there’s no other feeling when you’re ready to go,” said Gauff. “It’s impossible to feel dead especially in the final.”
World No 130 Masarova lifted in the second set — forcing a series of break points — but Gauff always seemed in control.
“She just took every opportunity she could,” said Masarova.
Due to the later than expected finish, it was a quiet celebration on Sunday night — “I’ll probably watch some Netflix and anime” — before the Gauff entourage flew to Melbourne on Monday.
