Newstalk ZB Sport's Matt Brown talks one-on-one with Nicolas Lamperin confirmed to take over as ASB Classic tournament director. Video / NZ Herald
The ASB Classic has secured the signature of Cameron Norrie for 2024 - and hopes to land more top-20 male players in the coming weeks.
Norrie, who grew up in Auckland before changing his allegiance to Britain, is always a prime target for the tournament.
Given his status in the sport, the world No 16 is the closest thing we have to a local hero and attracts big crowd support here.
Tournament director Nicolas Lamperin told the Herald he began negotiations with the 28-year-old at the French Open before concluding the deal a few weeks after Wimbledon.
“He is almost a local, so is always important to us,” said Lamperin. “He remains one of the best players in the world, and while he has roots in Auckland where he learned the game, we do not take his appearance here for granted.”
On the women’s side, since the retention of defending champion Coco Gauff, Caroline Wozniacki remains a primary focus. The Danish former world No 1, who returned to tennis in August after three and a half years away to start a family, was always a popular drawcard on her regular Auckland visits.
“Our talks are ongoing, on the right track,” said Lamperin. “We hope to have an answer in the next few weeks.”
Lamperin also has a top-30 female on his radar, the second allowed - after Gauff - under the strict new WTA Tour rules. On other players, he has yet to have any further communication with British star Emma Raducanu, while Canadian Leylah Fernandez is a possibility.
But the confirmation of Norrie is a big boost for the Auckland fortnight.
He reached the final in January, losing a classic decider 6-4 4-6 4-6 to French veteran Richard Gasquet. The highlight since then was beating world number one Carlos Alcaraz on clay to take out the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro. He also made the Buenos Aires final, the semifinals in Lyon and the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, regarded as the fifth major.
Norrie was born in South Africa before his parents moved to New Zealand when he was 3. He fell in love with the game as a kid at the Bucklands Beach Tennis Club and spent much of his youth at Stanley Street observing and learning from the visiting stars.
“I was always waiting around, watching all the practices, trying to get photos, get their shirts, or their wristbands... watching some really top players,” said Norrie. “And then having the honour of playing in the tournament and winning matches was pretty cool. I never thought I would be able to do that - and to play two finals there already.”
Coco Gauff with the winner's trophy after claiming the ASB Classic at the ASB earlier this year. Photo / Photosport
Aside from this year, Norrie also reached the 2019 decider, losing to Tennys Sandgren, after a fairytale week from the then world No 93, when he beat four players all ranked inside the top 60.
Though he has played on much grander stages - and enjoyed impressive runs, including a round of 16 appearance at the US Open and the 2022 semifinals at Wimbledon - a hometown triumph would mean a lot.
“I hope the next tournament will be unfinished business for me,” said Norrie. “I love playing there. It means a lot to play the tournament. I think one day I am going to win it. I just need to go out and do it. I don’t know when it is going to be but I will stay patient and hopefully get this one,”
Overall, signs are promising for the 2024 ASB Classic. Lamperin has just returned from New York, a trip he described as “very productive”.
“There are more players who want to come here than we have spots available,” said Lamperin. “So it is a good situation to be in.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. He has reported on every ASB Classic since 2005.
