Coco Gauff will join a star-studded field at the ASB Classic in Auckland in January. The current World No.68 will play in a field that included reigning US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, 23-time major champion Serena Williams and last year’s champion Julia Goerges.
UPDATE: The ASB Classic has added Amanda Anisimova, Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Ostapenko, Svetlana Kuznetsova and CiCi Bellis to its player list.
15-year-old Gauff, who will turn 16 in March, enjoyed a breakout season on the WTA Tour. She reached the second week at Wimbledon, where she became the youngest player to reach the second week since 1991, and won her first title at Linz in October (youngest WTA title winner since 2004). She also won her maiden doubles title at the Citi Open, alongside fellow American teenager Caty McNally.
"Coco is probably the most in demand player on tour at the moment,” ASB Classic tournament director Karl Budge said. “She was the front page of almost every global publication after her Wimbledon triumphs and set the sport alight.”
Gauff was recently named to the Time 100 Next list, a new list that spotlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more.
“I can’t wait to start my season in Auckland. 2019 was such an incredible year and I achieved so many of the goals that I had set for myself. Wimbledon was obviously a highlight as was capturing my first WTA title. However I have a number of goals and things that I am working on in my game, and I can’t wait to start my 2020 year at the ASB Classic” said Gauff.