Headline act Azarenka joins cast for Classic
Victoria Azarenka will play in the ASB Classic in 2019.
With two Australian Open titles to her name, the Belarusian is the third grand slam winner announced for the Auckland tournament, joining Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams.
Tournament director Karl
Budge said the field was ‘‘shaping up to be our strongest yet’’.
‘‘There is still the chance of another grand slam champion and we know we have two more big names that will confirm in the coming weeks.
‘‘With the first round now split over two sessions rather than four, we are going to have what will probably be our strongest ever Monday and Tuesday of the women’s event.’’
As well as winning at grand slams, Azarenka, Williams and Wozniacki have all been ranked No 1 in the world. Together, they have spent 133 weeks at the top of the rankings, winning 10 grand slam titles, 99 WTA titles, and five Olympics medals.
Azarenka’s time at the top came in two stints in 2012 and 2013, the years she won in Melbourne.
She is currently ranked 55th, having risen 154 places in 2018 following the birth of her first child, Leo, last year.
‘‘Vika has been incredible since coming back on tour,’’ Budge said.
‘‘She performed incredibly well at Wimbledon last year in her second tournament back and this year alone she made the semifinals in Miami, one of the biggest events of the year and recorded wins over top 10 players.
‘‘What she is doing is incredible and we look forward to welcoming her and Leo to Auckland in January.’’