Bar raised high again for Classic

Each year there’s the challenge for the ASB Classic to be bigger and better than the previous year, and once again that’s been achieved.

The full field for January’s men’s Classic was revealed yesterday, with this year’s Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey joining the previously announced players.

Impressively, there are five top 20 players in next year’s field, with Querrey set to line up alongside Jack Sock, Juan Martin del Potro, John Isner and Roberto Bautista Agut.

As well as there being these five big names, there’s also the cre`me of the next generation of players in Denis Shapovalov, Andrey Rublev, Chung Hyeon and Karen Khachanov.

So with the tournament’s field ticking a couple of boxes of stars of now and the future, the 2018 men’s ASB Classic promises to be the best one yet.

Coincidentally, the last two top 20 players announced for the tournament played against each other in the final in Auckland in 2009, with del Potro beating Querrey.

Throughout most of Querrey’s career he looked like being a solid player, with a big serve, but not someone with the potential to be one of the absolute superstars.

However, that changed this year when the American got to the semifinals at Wimbledon, defeating Andy Murray and JoWilfried Tsonga on the way as well as winning titles in Los Cabos and Acapulco.

‘‘He’s had a cracking year, he’s beaten Murray and [Rafael] Nadal, last year he beat Novak [Djokovic],’’ Classic tournament director Karl Budge said.

‘‘He can play at a high level, something like a Grand Slam, it’s hard keeping that intensity up for the full two weeks, but you don’t get wins against those guys without being a good player.

‘‘He’s found more consistency this year and it’s probably been a career-best year for him.’’

Budge will keep one of this three wildcards up his sleeve in case Murray or Djokovic decide closer to time that they want to play in Auckland.

A singles wildcard is likely to be given to Michael Venus, rewarding him for his doubles success at Roland Garros this year, but it’s looking unlikely that New Zealand No 1 Rubin Statham will be given a main draw wildcard.

Budge encouraged New Zealand players interested in playing at the Classic to enter the New Zealand Championships, which starts next week.

Statham, who played Caro Bowl club tennis a few weeks ago for Royal Oak, has decided not to enter.

‘‘If you play well at the New Zealand Champs, you’ll get the chance to play at the ASB Classic,’’ Budge said. And if you don’t play in them? ‘‘You’re leaving the door open to be disappointed.’’

Cameron Norrie, who was raised in Auckland but plays under a British flag because that country was willing to give him more support than New Zealand was, is up to 114 in the world rankings.

He is borderline to make it into the main draw of the Australian Open. If he makes the cut, he’ll play in qualifying for the Classic, but if he’s got to enter qualifying in Melbourne, he won’t come to Auckland.

‘‘I understand that there’s a different flag at the end of his name, but he’s a product of New Zealand and importantly for us, a product of Tennis Auckland,’’ Budge said.

‘‘We want to celebrate that and personally I’d love to see him play on centre court if he gets through.

‘‘For me, he’s a Kiwi and I hope he gets the chance to play at the ASB Classic in front of his friends and family.’’

On the women’s front, Budge said he’s not sure if Jade Lewis will be playing at the Classic.

She’s the current New Zealand champion and had a great match against Venus Williams a year ago, but has not entered the nationals.