ANA IVANOVIC IN ASB CLASSIC, AUCKLAND 2014

ANA IVANOVIC

Tennis Auckland is delighted to announce that former world number one, and Grand Slam champion, Ana Ivanovic, will be the feature attraction at the ASB Classic, taking place from December 30 – January 4, 2014. The 25 year old Serbian has 11 career titles to her name and has again shown her strengths on the court this year, reaching the semi-finals in Madrid and the fourth round at three of the four grand slams as well as in Miami. Ivanovic began playing tennis at age 5 after seeing Monica Seles play on TV, and is now known for her aggressive play and dominating forehand. Named by TIME Magazine as one of the “30 Legends of women’s tennis: Past, Present, and Future”, Ivanovic will be a force to be reckoned with at the ASB Classic, and is one player not to be missed. 
 Joining Ivanovic is teenage sensation Laura Robson, the current British number one who won silver at the 2012 London Olympics alongside Andy Murray in the mixed doubles. Robson who is the highest ranked teenager in the world was the WTA Newcomer of the Year for 2012 and has reached the fourth round at both the US Open and Wimbledon. 

LAURA ROBSON

A left-handed player, her strength lies in her dominant serve and two-handed backhand. “We are thrilled that we were able to secure such high profile players as Ivanovic and Robson; one of the biggest names in tennis, and another who is the future of the women’s game,” says Tournament Director, Karl Budge. “They are both such a delight on and off the court, and we’re so excited to have them in New Zealand.” Both Ivanovic and Robson are endorsed by Adidas, with Laura debuting the latest Stella McCartney for Adidas range at this year’s Wimbledon tournament. Ivanovic is also the current face of Rolex, who describes her as having “undeniable elegance”, so it’s no surprise that she is one of the most photographed female players in the world, having appeared in FHM, Vanity Fair and Cosmopolitan amongst others; and her personal life is never far from the spotlight. In addition to two world-class players, Tennis Auckland has successfully finalised a new partnership with Fonterra’s Kapiti brand who will be providing premium ice creams and cheeses in addition to specialty dessert options. “To have one of New Zealand’s iconic companies partnering with the New Zealand Festival of Tennis goes to show the strength of our Events and the synergy we enjoy with premium brands”.