Tennis: World No. 2 doubles pair to defend Classic title

ASB Classic doubles winners Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. Photo / Herald on Sunday

The world's second best doubles combination of Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik have confirmed they will return to Auckland to defend their ASB Classic title in Auckland next month.

Peschke (Czech Republic) and Srebotnik (Slovenia) have had their best season yet, winning the Wimbledon doubles title and being named WTA doubles team of the year. The pair also won titles in Doha, Eastbourne, Carlsbad and Beijing in 2011 and were ranked equal No 1s for a 10-week period with American duo Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond from early July.

"When we announced the ASB Classic full field, I said it was one of the best fields in the tournament's history," ASB Classic tournament director Richard Palmer said. "To have the world's second-best doubles pair is the icing on the cake for tennis fans."

Srebotnik, 30, is a former ASB Classic singles champion when in 2005 she won both the singles and doubles titles (with Shinobu Asagoe of Japan). She has 29 career doubles titles.

Peschke had success this year in the Fed Cup, helping the Czech Republic win the decisive doubles rubber in the final. The 36-year-old has won 22 doubles titles.

The pair comprehensively beat Kiwi Marina Erakovic and her partner Sofia Arvidsson (Sweden) in this year's ASB Classic doubles final 6-3 6-0.

Former world No 1 and seven-time grand slam winner Venus Williams leads the singles line-up but she will be pushed hard by the top eight seeds, who are all ranked in the world's top 30.

Palmer has also confirmed New Zealand No 2 Sacha Jones has been granted the second wildcard - Williams picked up the first - meaning there will be two Kiwis in the field. Marina Erakovic gained direct entry based on her current ranking of 61.