Tennis: Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu face tough tasks at ASB Classic

Top seed Coco Gauff and British star Emma Raducanu have been handed tricky first-round matches at Aucklands ASB Classic, which starts on Monday.

As the headliner, American world No. 7 Gauff automatically avoids the other seeds in the draw, but she was given no easy task with German veteran Tatjana Maria.

The 35-year-old has enjoyed a renaissance in the twilight of his career, highlighted by a remarkable run to the Wimbledon semi-finals last year.

Maria, then ranked outside the top 100, defeated world No. 5 Maria Sakkar and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko en route before being stopped in three sets by world No. 2 Ons Jabeur.

We [have] I never played, but I hit with him when I was young, Gauff said. He had a great run at Wimbledon.

If Gauff advances, she could face compatriot Sofia Kenini, the 2020 Australian Open champion who is returning from injury.

Another wild card, Venus Williams, who will face qualifier Katie Volynets in the first round on Monday, is also in the same quarter of the draw.

Williams had a few dramas when she arrived in Auckland as her bags didn’t arrive with her, meaning tournament organizers had to provide rackets and other equipment.

But that problem has now been resolved and the 42-year-old looked superb in midfield training on Sunday.

When he reached, his level was really high, noted tournament director Nicolas Lamperin. He is happy to be here. He wants to do well. And I’d like her to play Coco in the quarters if we can look that far.

World No 78 Raducanu was also given a potentially tricky first-class task against highly-rated Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova.

The 2021 US Open champion, who admitted on Saturday that she has been in full training just weeks after a wrist injury, will be tested by Fruhvirtova, who started last year at 296 and has shot as high as 79, helped by the run. fourth round in Miami and her first WTA title in Chennai.

Third-ranked Leylah Fernandez (world No. 40), who played Raducanu in that memorable New York decider two years ago, will face the younger of the Fruhvirtova sisters, Brenda, on Monday afternoon.

The 15-year-old was also tipped for big things and was given the Auckland wildcard after a remarkable 2022 season, rising from the top 1000 to 132nd.

2016 Auckland champion and former US Open title holder Sloane Stephens takes on Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova.

Kiwi Erin Routliffe, who received a wildcard into the main draw after winning a local playoff last week, will also face qualifier Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Doubles specialist Routliffe, who will be part of the tournament’s top seed along with American Caroline Dolehide, played only two tour-level singles matches last year.

There is one Russian player in the world rankings for the first round, Anna Blinkova, but Lamperin said he did not expect any protest or disruption on Stanley Street.

Popular Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, who was impressive in the first qualifying win on Saturday, withdrew on Sunday morning due to illness and Volynets was later given free entry into the main draw.

There is only one session on Monday and Tuesday, so the two away grounds also host big matches, a bonus for spectators with a ground pass.

I always encourage people to come to the first days of a tennis tournament, because that’s when you’re guaranteed to see all the stars, Lamperin said. And you know the action, not just in the center, but it happens on every court.

ASB Classic

Round 32

1-C Gauff (USA) v T Maria (GER)

X Wang (CHN) v WC-S Kenin (USA)

QK Volynets (USA) v WC-V Williams (USA)

L Zhu (CHN) v 6-M Brengle (USA)

4-B Pera (USA) – QV Kuzmova (SVK)

E Raducanu (GBR) v L Fruhvirtova (CZE)

T Zidansek (SLO) v L Davis (USA)

QN Hibino (JPN) v 7-D Kovinic (MNE)

8-R Marino (CAN) v D Galfi (TIME)

QY Bonaventure (BEL) v C McNally (USA)

J Grabher (AUT) v T Martincova (CZE)

WC-B Fruhvirtova (CZE) v 3-L Fernandez (CAN)

5-X Wang (CHN) v K Muchova (CZE)

WC-E Routliffe (NZL) vs QE Ruse (ROU)

E Cocciaretto (ITA) v A Blinkova (RUS)

QR Masarova (ESP) v 2-S Stephens (USA)