British star to play in Auckland event
Winner of last year’s US Open, Emma Raducanu, has confirmed that she will play at January’s ASB Classic in Auckland.
The 20-year-old from Britain took the tennis world by storm last year when she made history by coming through qualifying in New York to win the tournament, without dropping a set.
Raducanu became an instant superstar for her achievement at that US Open and launched herself as one of the biggest names on the women’s tennis circuit.
She is coming to Auckland after having to bring an early end to her 2022 season, because of a wrist injury, which ruled her out of playing for Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup earlier this month.
‘‘I’m really looking forward to coming to New Zealand,’’ Raducanu said of her first visit to Auckland.
‘‘I’ve heard so many good things about the tournament. It is a great way to start off the Australian Open swing.’’
Raducanu hasn’t been able to emulate her remarkable run at the US Open and has dropped to 74 in the world rankings, having been at a career high of No 10 in July.
But given her meteoric rise and the intense spotlight she has been under since the 2021 US Open, it’s understandable that there has been a drop-off.
Raducanu joins Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who lost to her in that US Open final in 2021, plus Americans Coco Gauff and 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens as those already confirmed for the women’s Classic.