ASB Classic Women's Wildcard Playoff Underway in Auckland

The ASB Classic Singles Wildcard Playoff women’s event is underway at the Scarbro Tennis Centre, Auckland. Monique Barry, Vivian Yang and Erin Routliffe will contest the ASB Classic Wildcard Playoff event from the 27-29 December.  

The event will be a round robin competition with the three competitors vying for the wildcard spots. The winner receives an ASB Classic main draw singles wildcard and the runner up a qualifying singles wildcard. To be eligible to compete New Zealand players must have a current WTA singles ranking. 

Monique Barry who is based in Australia has been competing in ITF Women’s events throughout 2022 and recently competed in the ITF World Tennis Tour W25 event in Tauranga, reaching the second round of singles and doubles.  

17 year old Vivian Yang won the singles title win at the World Tennis Tour W15 event in Wellington last week and is the reigning NZ junior champion. 

Erin Routliffe has had one of her most impressive years to date climbing into the top 30 in the WTA doubles world rankings. She arrived back in NZ this week, competing in the W25 event in Tauranga, taking out the doubles title and reaching the singles quarterfinals,  before bowing out to eventual winner Katherine Sebov of Canada, ranked 223 in the world for singles. 

Valentina Ivanov was forced to withdraw after sustaining a knee injury in Wellington. Fellow Kiwi Paige Hourigan who won the World Tennis Tour Tauranga doubles event with Erin this week has made the difficult decision not to play the singles playoff to ensure she continues her return to tennis smoothly after recent surgery.   

The Men's wildcard playoff is being held from the 2-4 January, also at Scarbro Tennis Centre. 

Entry to the play-offs is free and play for the women's matches will start at 11am each day, with one match per day.