WELLINGTON — Serena Williams will headline the Auckland Classic in January, organisers said on Wednesday, hailing her appearance as a major coup for the New Zealand tournament.The 22-time Grand Slam winner has never played in the January 2-7 tournament before, preferring to warm-up for the Australian Open at the Hopman Cup in Perth in recent years."We are obviously over the moon with this news. Serena is one of the biggest sporting stars on the planet," tournament director Karl Budge said.Williams is ranked No2 in the world after Angelique Kerber broke her 186-week reign at the top.She is likely to regain the No1 spot if she can claim a seventh Australian Open crown at the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne. Williams said a good run in Auckland would set her up well for a tilt at her 23rd Major, giving her sole custody of the Open-era record she shares with Steffi Graf."[It’s] the first event of the year. It can really set you up for a great run in Melbourne and I will be lookin...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.