Venus Williams will return to New Zealand. Photo / Photosport
A seven-time Grand Slam champion and World No 1, with winners of more than 90 WTA titles and two Olympic Games medals, lead a women’s field released today for the 2026 ASB Classic in Auckland.
Tournament director Nicolas Lamperin is delighted with both the strength and depth of the 22 players confirmed today directly into the WTA event at the Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland from January 5-11.
Lamperin is excited by the breadth of talent, both established and up and coming, with the field comprised within the leading 92 players on the world rankings.
Added to this is confirmation of two New Zealanders in the field, with Lulu Sun, now qualifying directly under her world ranking, which will allow a second Kiwi to compete as a confirmed wild card.
The field will be headed by two proven stars at the highest level in Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and American Emma Navarro, ranked 14th and 15th respectively in the current WTA world rankings.
The pair have both risen inside the top 10 and between them have won 19 WTA singles titles, and both have come close to further success in Auckland. Svitolina, with a career high ranking of No 3 in the world, was runner-up at the ASB Classic in 2024 to Coco Gauff, who had edged Navarro in the semi-finals.
Of course, there will be massive interest in the return of the incomparable Venus Williams, who will make a seventh appearance at the ASB Classic as a Wild Card after returning from a 16-month hiatus to compete at the US Open this year.
Just as important for tournament organisers is a bunch of talented tyros who are hoping to light up the Manuka Doctor Arena courts.
“The tournament has enjoyed a reputation in providing opportunity for promising young players who have gone on to find great successes that began in Auckland at the ASB Classic,” Lamperin said.
“Clearly the likes of Coco Gauff, Bianca Andreescu, this year’s winner Clara Tauson and even Madison Keys and Emma Navarro went on from success in Auckland to build their way to the top end of the world rankings.
“We would also include Lulu Sun, who went on from her first appearance here to success at Wimbledon and is now re-emerging in the rankings with the hope of a promising performance in front of home support.”
Lamperin said that three players will carry the mantle for the rising new stars, in 18-year-old American Iva Jovic, the first Filipino to make the world’s top 50 in Alexandra Eala, and 23-year-old Janice Tjen from Indonesia.
The trio have chalked up five WTA wins between them already and will be seeded from third to fifth for Auckland.
The 22 direct entries, ranked from 14th to 92nd in the world rankings, will need to watch out for the Wild Cards, led by Williams.
The others comprise outstanding American Sloane Stephens, the 2016 ASB Classic winner, who has won eight titles including the US Open in 2017. Stephens has returned to the courts after an injury-break, working with broadcasting and the Sloane Stephens Foundation.
She will be joined by Britain’s Katie Boulter, who is also plotting a full return to the sport after niggling injuries, with the final main draw wildcard going to a New Zealand player, to be announced by Tennis New Zealand.
“I believe we have a fantastic field from all aspects of the game – proven world stars and world performers, some incredible emerging talent and others with strong palmares who are returning,” Lamperin said.
“I feel this is a very strong line-up and we are all excited at what lies ahead.”
(with seeding and world ranking)
Elina Svitolina (UKR) 1, 14
Emma Navarro (USA) 2, 15
Iva Jovic (USA) 3, 35
Alexandra Eala (PH) 4, 52
Janice Tjen (ID) 5, 53
Magda Linette (POL) 6, 55
Wang Xinyu (CHN) 7, 56
Peyton Stearns (USA) 8, 63
Sonay Kartal (GBR) 9, 69
Donna Vekic (CRO) 10, 70
Francesca Jones (GBR) 11, 74
Varvara Gracheva (FRA) 12, 77
Camila Osorio (COL) 13, 78
Renata Zarazua (MEX) 14, 79
Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) 15, 81
Petra Marcinko (CRO) 16, 82
Caty McNally (USA) 17, 83
Ella Seidel (GER) 18, 84
Alycia Parks 19, 85
Lulu Sun (NZL) 20, 90
Panna Udvardy (HUN) 21, 91
Sara Bejlek (CRO) 22, 92
Main Draw Wild Cards: Venus Williams (USA), Sloane Stephens (USA), Katie Boulter (GBR).