January 2, 2026 • 10 mins
Annual Auckland-based WTA 250 tournament, the ASB Classic, is set to take place on January 5th to January 11th with players like Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina, and Emma Navarro taking to the court.
ASB Classic Tournament director Nico Lamperin joined Jason Pine to chat ahead of the tournament's start on Monday.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Venus Williams will meet fifth seed Magda Lynette and a
blockbuster first round matchup at the ASB Women's Tennis Classic.
Forty five year old Venus Williams, handed a wild card
into the tournament, has won her previous two meetings against Lynnette,
albeit both were ten years ago. Top seed Alenas Fitzelina
faces world number seventy six Vivara Grichaeva of France in
(00:37):
the first round. Williams and Fitzelina have also confirmed they
will link up as a doubles combination for the tournament.
They have already been set down for the first session
on day one. We're just attempting to get in touch
with tournament director Nicholas lamper In as far as the
key weis are concerned. You might have heard us report
yesterday which is, you know, the news of Lulusun you know,
(01:00):
really unfortunate news for Lulu Sun and for the tournament
itself that she will not be able to part. Monique
Bowrye is the only key we in the field. She
is up against Alice Seedel of Belgium. Alice Sedel, I
think is the in fact she's from Germany, the eighty
sixth ranked player in the world, so you'd have to
(01:23):
think that that will take something special from Monique Bowrie
if she is to somehow find a way to get
past Alice Sedel, but with a raucous home crowd behind her,
who knows, who knows? It may well be one of
those where you know, I mean, upsets happen all the
time in sports, So Moniq Bowry flying the Kiwi Flag.
(01:43):
Qualifying continues this weekend, but it feels unlikely that there
will be any more key we involvement, unfortunately, just Monique
Bowry by the sounds of things, to fly the Kiwi Flag.
Nicholas Lamber and with a number of other commitments that
he has to negotiate in order to get through today.
It's the draws done and then he's got to do
(02:05):
all the other logist and we're just hoping that we'll
be able to take our call at some stage to
run an eye over the drawer. Emma Navarro is the
fifteenth seed, or the fifteenth ranked player in the world,
the second seed here. She's up against a British player
Francesca Jones and Fitzelina. As I say, against grit Scheva
(02:27):
in the first round, Fittelina and Navarro seem as though
they're on a collision course to meet in the finals.
Fittealena is fourteenth in the world, Emma Navarro is currently
the fifteenth ranked player in the world, and then you
drop all the way down to the third seed at
this tournament, Eva Djovich, and she is in the thirties
(02:47):
currently in the world. So it feels as though Fittilina
and Navarro are the the two likeliest finalists, but things
can change, and yeah, odd things happen at tournaments of
this type, especially early in the year, players looking ahead
to the the Australian Tennis Open and how they might
(03:09):
prepare best for that. All of these players, or the
majority of the top seeded players anyway, will be heading
across to the Australian Open when that gets underway, so
they'll have to manage their way through this weather wise.
It's always a very interesting little side issue to the
tennis and Auckland, isn't it that the weather can play
(03:30):
a part? And we're looking forward to the roof being
put on the Auckland Tennis Center, the center court. Anyway,
that investment has been confirmed by the sounds of it.
It might not quite be finished by next year, but
twenty twenty eight, certainly it will be a roofed center court.
But I'm looking ahead to the forecast. There's a bit
(03:51):
of rain around today and tomorrow, but from Monday, I'm
looking at this at the long term forecast here the
seven day forecast and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, there's
no rain in the forecast at all, which I'm sure
sure will be a huge relief for Nicholas Lamper and
who in the past. I mean, that's the one thing
(04:12):
you can't control, right. You can do everything in your
power to get things ready for the tournament, to secure
all of the best players, and the one thing you cannot,
you cannot negotiate for, is the weather. Nicholas Lamper and
joins us, Nicholas, I know you're very busy just on
the weather. You'll be delighted with the forecast. Hardly any
(04:32):
rain in the forecast at all beyond tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah, hi yah, so far, so good. You know, Qualley
is starting this morning at eleven. I think we just
need to get through today because there's potentially some showers,
but I think from tomorrow onwards, the rest of the
week looks pretty good.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
The draw has been made. How happy are you with
the draw you've got for the women's tournament.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Yeah, I think it's very progressive drawl. The top seeds
are protected in the first two rounds, but at the
same time got some interesting matchups with various Williams coming
back and playing the number five seed, and also Alexandro
hell at the number four seed facing Donovikich in the
(05:22):
first round, who was a silver medalist at the Paris Olympics.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Can you just give us some insight into the draw procedure, Nicholas,
How does it all work?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
It's all based on ranking. So basically what we do
is we you have eight seeds which are positioned on
a particular line of the draw, and then all the
rest is it's random, so we just pick the numbers
and they're being allocated from top to bottom.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Elena Spittelina and Emminavarro are your top two seeds. Do
they feel as though they're on a collision course to
meet in the final?
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I would think so, But at the same time, it's
you know, the the first Woman of the Year, and
the form and the level of preparation of players can
can really vary from uh, you know, one player to
the next one. So I guess, you know, I would
say if they win their first two rounds, we could
you know, potentially see them, you know, going as far
(06:25):
as the as the final.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
How much do you enjoy having Venus Williams in Auckland.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
It's it's a massive joy for us. You know, she's
she's she's bigger than any of the players in the
tennis world. She's dedication at forty five years old, is
you know, never never heard of she She's the first
one at the club in the morning when everybody else
(06:51):
is probably still sleeping. She's training early, she's stay at
the gym. And then she actually asked us yesterday about
playing doubles as well, so I can I can announce
you that she will be competing in the doubles draw
with Elena Aina.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Oh brilliant, so Venus Williams and Elena's Fortelina as a
doubles combination, and it's it'll be something to look out for.
Have youve got have you done the draw for the doubles?
I think you may have they they're going to play
on day one? Are they as a as a doubles co?
We haven't.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
We haven't done the draw for the doubles yet because
the signing deadline finishes tomorrow, but we know already that
will schedule Venus and Elena for the first doubles match
on on Monday during the day session.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Outstanding Harmonic Barry the Kiwi a first round meeting with
eighty sixth ranked German Ela Seigel. Could she cause an
upset with a raucous home crowd behind her?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I would love to think so. I think, you know,
Mo Nigue's got a got a big game, and she's
she's got what it takes to to be those those
girls ranking in the top hundred. You know, last year
she she wasn't far. She she was an on really
good form and I'm really looking forward to see how
much it's improved twelve months later.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Fantastic. I know you've got other things to do, Nicholas,
but what does take up most of your time during
the tournament. You've got us to this point, the draws
downe the tournament's about to start, we've got qualifying. What
takes up most of your time during the tournament itself.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
I can't say, because it's it's so many different things
that I need to look after. We do get a
lot of requests from players in terms of, you know,
what time they can practice and things they can do
in Auckland, or what time they want to play the
match or so there's a lot of those requests that
we need to look after. We always spend a lot
(08:47):
of time also working on the schedule, just to make
sure it's fair and balance normally for the players, but
also for the ticket holders between the day and the
evening sessions, and you know, just checking that everything's running
smoothly around the stadium, whether it's for our sponsors, our
fun I were broadcasters. So yeah, there's plenty to keep
(09:11):
me busy.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Vet Theros, thank you for joining us at a very
busy time for you, Nicholas, all the best for the
next two weeks there at the ASP Classic. Thank you
Nicholas Lamber and tournament director. With the women's draw done
and that news there that the doubles combo that'll be
one to watch. Elenas Fittelina and Venus Williams teaming up
as a doubles combination and they will play in the
(09:34):
first session on day one. Venus Williams has a tournament
wild card, of course, into the singles, up against fifth
seed Magda Lynnette in a blockbuster first round match. Fittelina
will face world number seventy six Vivara Grichava in the
first round. Emminavarro, as mentioned, up against the British player
(09:55):
Francesca Jones. We will keep you right up today with
all of the tennis action over the next little while.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed b cans from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Venus Williams will meet fifth seed Magda Lynette and a
blockbuster first round matchup at the ASB Women's Tennis Classic.
Forty five year old Venus Williams, handed a wild card
into the tournament, has won her previous two meetings against Lynnette,
albeit both were ten years ago. Top seed Alenas Fitzelina
faces world number seventy six Vivara Grichaeva of France in
(00:37):
the first round. Williams and Fitzelina have also confirmed they
will link up as a doubles combination for the tournament.
They have already been set down for the first session
on day one. We're just attempting to get in touch
with tournament director Nicholas lamper In as far as the
key weis are concerned. You might have heard us report
yesterday which is, you know, the news of Lulusun you know,
(01:00):
really unfortunate news for Lulu Sun and for the tournament
itself that she will not be able to part. Monique
Bowrye is the only key we in the field. She
is up against Alice Seedel of Belgium. Alice Sedel, I
think is the in fact she's from Germany, the eighty
sixth ranked player in the world, so you'd have to
(01:23):
think that that will take something special from Monique Bowrie
if she is to somehow find a way to get
past Alice Sedel, but with a raucous home crowd behind her,
who knows, who knows? It may well be one of
those where you know, I mean, upsets happen all the
time in sports, So Moniq Bowry flying the Kiwi Flag.
(01:43):
Qualifying continues this weekend, but it feels unlikely that there
will be any more key we involvement, unfortunately, just Monique
Bowry by the sounds of things, to fly the Kiwi Flag.
Nicholas Lamber and with a number of other commitments that
he has to negotiate in order to get through today.
It's the draws done and then he's got to do
(02:05):
all the other logist and we're just hoping that we'll
be able to take our call at some stage to
run an eye over the drawer. Emma Navarro is the
fifteenth seed, or the fifteenth ranked player in the world,
the second seed here. She's up against a British player
Francesca Jones and Fitzelina. As I say, against grit Scheva
(02:27):
in the first round, Fittelina and Navarro seem as though
they're on a collision course to meet in the finals.
Fittealena is fourteenth in the world, Emma Navarro is currently
the fifteenth ranked player in the world, and then you
drop all the way down to the third seed at
this tournament, Eva Djovich, and she is in the thirties
(02:47):
currently in the world. So it feels as though Fittilina
and Navarro are the the two likeliest finalists, but things
can change, and yeah, odd things happen at tournaments of
this type, especially early in the year, players looking ahead
to the the Australian Tennis Open and how they might
(03:09):
prepare best for that. All of these players, or the
majority of the top seeded players anyway, will be heading
across to the Australian Open when that gets underway, so
they'll have to manage their way through this weather wise.
It's always a very interesting little side issue to the
tennis and Auckland, isn't it that the weather can play
(03:30):
a part? And we're looking forward to the roof being
put on the Auckland Tennis Center, the center court. Anyway,
that investment has been confirmed by the sounds of it.
It might not quite be finished by next year, but
twenty twenty eight, certainly it will be a roofed center court.
But I'm looking ahead to the forecast. There's a bit
(03:51):
of rain around today and tomorrow, but from Monday, I'm
looking at this at the long term forecast here the
seven day forecast and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, there's
no rain in the forecast at all, which I'm sure
sure will be a huge relief for Nicholas Lamper and
who in the past. I mean, that's the one thing
(04:12):
you can't control, right. You can do everything in your
power to get things ready for the tournament, to secure
all of the best players, and the one thing you cannot,
you cannot negotiate for, is the weather. Nicholas Lamper and
joins us, Nicholas, I know you're very busy just on
the weather. You'll be delighted with the forecast. Hardly any
(04:32):
rain in the forecast at all beyond tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah, hi yah, so far, so good. You know, Qualley
is starting this morning at eleven. I think we just
need to get through today because there's potentially some showers,
but I think from tomorrow onwards, the rest of the
week looks pretty good.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
The draw has been made. How happy are you with
the draw you've got for the women's tournament.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Yeah, I think it's very progressive drawl. The top seeds
are protected in the first two rounds, but at the
same time got some interesting matchups with various Williams coming
back and playing the number five seed, and also Alexandro
hell at the number four seed facing Donovikich in the
(05:22):
first round, who was a silver medalist at the Paris Olympics.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Can you just give us some insight into the draw procedure, Nicholas,
How does it all work?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
It's all based on ranking. So basically what we do
is we you have eight seeds which are positioned on
a particular line of the draw, and then all the
rest is it's random, so we just pick the numbers
and they're being allocated from top to bottom.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Elena Spittelina and Emminavarro are your top two seeds. Do
they feel as though they're on a collision course to
meet in the final?
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I would think so, But at the same time, it's
you know, the the first Woman of the Year, and
the form and the level of preparation of players can
can really vary from uh, you know, one player to
the next one. So I guess, you know, I would
say if they win their first two rounds, we could
you know, potentially see them, you know, going as far
(06:25):
as the as the final.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
How much do you enjoy having Venus Williams in Auckland.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
It's it's a massive joy for us. You know, she's
she's she's bigger than any of the players in the
tennis world. She's dedication at forty five years old, is
you know, never never heard of she She's the first
one at the club in the morning when everybody else
(06:51):
is probably still sleeping. She's training early, she's stay at
the gym. And then she actually asked us yesterday about
playing doubles as well, so I can I can announce
you that she will be competing in the doubles draw
with Elena Aina.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Oh brilliant, so Venus Williams and Elena's Fortelina as a
doubles combination, and it's it'll be something to look out for.
Have youve got have you done the draw for the doubles?
I think you may have they they're going to play
on day one? Are they as a as a doubles co?
We haven't.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
We haven't done the draw for the doubles yet because
the signing deadline finishes tomorrow, but we know already that
will schedule Venus and Elena for the first doubles match
on on Monday during the day session.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Outstanding Harmonic Barry the Kiwi a first round meeting with
eighty sixth ranked German Ela Seigel. Could she cause an
upset with a raucous home crowd behind her?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I would love to think so. I think, you know,
Mo Nigue's got a got a big game, and she's
she's got what it takes to to be those those
girls ranking in the top hundred. You know, last year
she she wasn't far. She she was an on really
good form and I'm really looking forward to see how
much it's improved twelve months later.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Fantastic. I know you've got other things to do, Nicholas,
but what does take up most of your time during
the tournament. You've got us to this point, the draws
downe the tournament's about to start, we've got qualifying. What
takes up most of your time during the tournament itself.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
I can't say, because it's it's so many different things
that I need to look after. We do get a
lot of requests from players in terms of, you know,
what time they can practice and things they can do
in Auckland, or what time they want to play the
match or so there's a lot of those requests that
we need to look after. We always spend a lot
(08:47):
of time also working on the schedule, just to make
sure it's fair and balance normally for the players, but
also for the ticket holders between the day and the
evening sessions, and you know, just checking that everything's running
smoothly around the stadium, whether it's for our sponsors, our
fun I were broadcasters. So yeah, there's plenty to keep
(09:11):
me busy.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Vet Theros, thank you for joining us at a very
busy time for you, Nicholas, all the best for the
next two weeks there at the ASP Classic. Thank you
Nicholas Lamber and tournament director. With the women's draw done
and that news there that the doubles combo that'll be
one to watch. Elenas Fittelina and Venus Williams teaming up
as a doubles combination and they will play in the
(09:34):
first session on day one. Venus Williams has a tournament
wild card, of course, into the singles, up against fifth
seed Magda Lynnette in a blockbuster first round match. Fittelina
will face world number seventy six Vivara Grichava in the
first round. Emminavarro, as mentioned, up against the British player
(09:55):
Francesca Jones. We will keep you right up today with
all of the tennis action over the next little while.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed b cans from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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