The 2017 Auckland Open is a tournament which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary and moves into a new decade. It’s part of the run-up to the Australian Open and a chance for mid-tier players on tour to get crucial on-court time. This doesn’t just shake off rust from the offseason; it gives players fresh from training blocks a chance to see if new tactics, techniques or strokes are having an effect on court. Not everything might come together right away, but players might leave New Zealand with a better sense of what they have to do going forward.
The competition in the 32-player main draw will begin on Monday, January 2.
Event Details
Event: Auckland Open
Category: WTA International Level
Date: January 2-7, 2017
Location: ASB Tennis Centre – Auckland, New Zealand
With a prize money allotment of $250,000, there’s not a massive purse attached to this tournament, which can’t compete with Shenzhen in China. However, it’s not an inferior event in terms of rankings points, and it’s just as valuable in terms of offering match play to players who need it.
The points structure under the WTA system:
280 – champion
180 – runner-up
110 – semifinal
60 – quarterfinal
30 – round of 16
Former Champions and Results (5 Years)
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2016: Sloane Stephens d. Julia Gorges 7-5, 6-2
2015: Venus Williams d. Caroline Wozniacki 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
2014: Ana Ivanovic d. Venus Williams 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
2013: Agnieszka Radwanska d. Yanina Wickmayer 6-4, 6-4
2012: Zheng Jie d. Flavia Pennetta 2-6, 6-3, 2-0 ret.
Player Info:
This is a star-studded draw, because it has the foremost icon of women’s tennis. Serena Williams is 35 years old, has won each of the four majors multiple times, has reached tennis immortality and has gained worldwide recognition, but her will to achieve more and more is endless. Her desire to fight for more is peerless. Yes, Serena is coming back from an injury layoff and her task to win titles will be doubly difficult, but she is a proven customer. She has a winning head-to-head record against each one of those present in Auckland. She carries that intimidating factor around the globe successfully–her presence strikes fear in her opposite number, who is often forced into submission even before the ball hits the surface.
The only thing that’s against Serena is her fitness. She is yet to win this tournament, but there is always a first time, and her rivals will be wary of that. Is Serena match ready? We’ll find that soon.
Venus Williams isn’t getting any younger either, but time and again she has ridiculed the notion of aging being the same as decaying. Even at age 36, she sits pretty at No. 17 in the world rankings and still continues to beat and push younger and faster women. 2017 could well be her farewell season and she would like to leave no stone unturned to make it a memorable one.
Caroline Wozniacki is a warrior and nobody would argue that. Just after her first-round exit at Wimbledon in 2016, she found herself ranked outside top 50 for the first time in eight years, but with tremendous self-belief, fierce focus and consistent hard work, she turned the tide at the U.S. Open by making the semifinals. The wave didn’t stop in New York as she continued the good work by sweeping titles in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Wozniacki likes warming up in Auckland. She was runner-up in 2015 and made the semifinals in 2016. She is ranked 19th in the world but she’d like to be placed much higher and where she feels she belongs–the top 10. Will she rise again? Age is on her side.
Sloane Stephens has the potential to win multiple majors, but more often than not she struggles to win multiple matches at Grand Slams. Sloane wins odd titles here and there but still hasn’t solved the consistency riddle. Yes, she did win three titles in 2016 and was injured in the latter half of the season, but for a player of her caliber, she could do better. Last season Sloane started the first week of the season by claiming the title in Auckland. With big names around, can she spring the surprise once again?
ASB Tennis Centre
The facility was founded in 1920 and has undergone multiple modernizations, the most recent one being 2010. The complex has indoor and outdoor courts with various surfaces, but the hardcourt tournament is played on seven outdoor courts with a Rebound Ace surface.
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