Auckland ASB Tennis Classic: What we learned

Richard Gasquet
Photo: Photosport

Opinion – Congratulations to Richard Gasquet, the winner of this year’s ASB Classic. He did it the hard way, coming back from a set down to triumph 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 over hometown (yes, we’re claiming him) boy Cam Norrie.

The Frenchman now has another title to add to his two-decade long list of professional tennis accolades, while Norrie did his part in ensuring the final went the distance.

Also, a big congratulations to the organisers for making it through the fortnight without suffering a mental breakdown, as weather issues played havoc with the schedule.

And so, the curtain comes down on New Zealand’s only WTA/ATP event for another year, so here is what we learned:

Cam Norrie is an interesting narrative – OK, so he didn’t win, but Norrie showed great form throughout his run to the final, and losing to a player of Gasquet’s experience is nothing to be ashamed of. So now the question is how much better can he get? Already on the cusp of a top 10 ranking, it’s not out of the question to think he can go deep in a Grand Slam event this season.

Cameron Norrie
Photo: Alan Lee / www.photosport.nz

Coco Gauff is really good – While Norrie was impressive, women’s winner Gauff was completely dominant to the point that she only dropped 21 games and no sets on her way to lifting the trophy. She also did so without complaining about the constant schedule disruptions that saw much of the tournament shift to the spectator-free and faster surfaced indoor courts. Like Norrie, her upcoming season will be interesting. Gauff spoke of how she hoped to carry the form from Auckland through to the Australian Open – if she can it’s possible the 18-year-old might even go on and win it.

Coco Gauff with the trophy after winning the ASB Classic at the ASB Tennis Arena, on 8 January
Photo: Photosport / Chris Symes

Let’s put a roof on Stanley Street – Because playing indoors would certainly be better than the amount of time we watched centre court slowly turn into a lake over the past two weeks. The unseasonable weather has seen calls for a permanent solution to the weather problem get louder than ever before.

Or maybe let’s not – The key word in the point above is, of course, unseasonable. Let’s not forget that Auckland weather at this time of year is usually really nice, so a lot of the charm of the ASB Classic is that it is an outdoor event. Putting it under shade and rendering all the sponsored straw hats and designer sunglasses pointless, and not being able to see the leafy surrounds of The Domain would transform the ASB Classic into something else entirely. A more weatherproof event, sure, but would it come at the cost of the atmosphere?

Why it might wind up being a 500 – The big news came out of the NZ Herald on finals day that the tournament is looking at becoming a WTA/ATP 500 event, which would mean any roof plans would also be factoring in major overhaul of the entire facility anyway. Prize money would triple to nearly $NZ1.3 million, plus the ability to attract more than one top 10 ranked player per year opens up.

Only having two weeks of tennis anyone cares about doesn’t feel right – Maybe Norrie’s form can change that if he goes on to become a top star on the circuit. A fortnight of professional tennis annually brings in good crowds and good players, then the sport essentially disappears out of the collective consciousness unless something notable happens at a slam event.

Auckland youngsters, Una Misic, 10, and Liam Youn, 13, winners of The Road to the ASB Classic.
Photo: Supplied

The future might be bright – One of the bright spots of the tournament was that away from the canned men’s semi meant we got to see some local junior talent. Two Auckland youngsters, Liam Youn (13) and Una Misic (11), were crowned the winners of The Road to ASB Classic. The Girls and Boys Under 14 Finals took place on centre court in front of a healthy crowd, which is something that usually only comes once a player hits the professional circuit. Both winners had made the finals after beating players from around the country, in a field of 32.