Auckland Open threatened by ASB over possible sponsorship withdrawal if Russian and Belarusian players are allowed
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Auckland Open
Auckland Open, New Zealand’s most famous tennis tournament is all set to return in 2023 after being canceled for two successive years that is 2021 and 2022 due to the impact of Covid. But it is under a huge threat and at risk of losing its naming rights partner ahead of its return in January.
ASB Bank, one of the main sponsors of the tournament who has been associated for 25 long years is about to take an extreme step. It is strongly thinking to take a powerful decision about the possible withdrawal of sponsorship in view of the ongoing war in Ukraine as they have stated that if Russian and Belarusian players are permitted to take part, then the company will likely remove its branding from the tournament. It will be a huge loss in terms of sponsorship and might land a tough situation for the newly appointed event director Nicolas Lamperin.
The bank has said that “There are currently no Russian or Belarusian players confirmed or under negotiation to play at the ASB Classic. After a two-year hiatus due to Covid, we would very much like to see a successful ASB Classic go ahead in 2023. We are working with tournament organizers to ensure we can continue to support the event, while still aligning with our values as a company.“
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Auckland Open is returning after a gap of two years
The ASB Classic in Auckland is an integral part of the build-up to the 2023 Australian Open. The decision to not allow Russian and Belarusian players to participate in a tournament was also seen during the Wimbledon Championship where they were banned from playing and along with that, no ranking points were awarded by the ATP.
Serena Williams won her final WTA title at the Auckland Open in 2020 defeating Jessica Pegula in straight sets. But she will not be defending the women’s singles title since she has officially retired from the professional sport after the third-round exit at the 2022 US Open. It was her maiden win at the ASB Classic and also the last time she played at the tournament.
Ugo Humbert is the defending champion of the men’s singles title at the Auckland Open as he defeated Benoit Paire in the finals in the year 2020.
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Prateek Pradhan
(601 Articles Published)