Every sport deserves its day in the sun.
Tennis does well to reserve the first weeks of the new year for its showcase events even if sunshine is never guaranteed. Tennis Auckland's tournament director of the ASB Classics, Karl Budge, does a fine job of courting the best professionals he can attract to the women's open this week and the men's next week. He is competing against several Australian cities to offer the players a venue where they can tool up their game for the year's first grand slam event in Melbourne.
The women's tournament has a particularly warm atmosphere. The Auckland association, helped by local tennis enthusiasts, has always treated the players to their choice of Auckland's best outings and entertainments at this time of year. On the court they find themselves playing to the clatter of cutlery and the clink of glasses with corporate hospitality at courtside.
Not all of the players come to Auckland with their minds focused only on Melbourne. For up and coming young professionals an ATP title is a career achievement and often a step towards the top. Two years ago Auckland saw a young American, Sloane Stephens, come from nowhere to win the tournament. In September she won the US Open. And not so many years ago on the same courts the men's tournament contained a promising Spanish teenager named Rafael Nadal.
Big names attract attention for the tournament and help sell its tickets. They must be worth their appearance fee even if they make an early exit. Certainly those who have bought tickets to see them are unlikely to be disappointed by the quality of tennis that remains. The professional ranks have strength to such depth that all players on the tour can produce stunning power and accuracy.
