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After playing host to the women, the 2024 ASB Classic will welcome the men's tour this week. The tournament will be held in Auckland, New Zealand from January 8-13.
Former top 10 player Denis Shapovalov returns to action after an injury layoff. He'll contest his first match since bowing out in the fourth round of last year's Wimbledon.
American sensation Ben Shelton is the headliner this week, while veteran Richard Gasquet is the defending champion. The latter's compatriot, Gael Monfils, is also in the mix.
So without further ado, here's a look at the relevant details regarding the 2024 ASB Classic:
What is the ASB Classic?
The tournament has been a part of the men's circuit for a long time, with the first edition being held back in 1956. From its inception until 1977, it was a grass-court tournament before switching over to hardcourts in 1978.
From 1998 onwards the tournament was classified as a part of the International Series of events on the ATP Tour and remained so until 2008. Starting from 2009, it has been a part of the ATP 250 series.
Roy Emerson and David Ferrer hold the record for most titles won here in the Open Era with four. Juan Martin del Potro, Bjorn Borg, and Rod Laver are some of the other big names to have triumphed at the venue.
Venue
The tournament will take place at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland, New Zealand.
Players
Ben Shelton is the top seed at the 2024 ASB Classic. He started the new season with a first-round exit from the Brisbane International. With quarterfinal points to defend at the Australian Open, he'll be eager to get a few wins under his belt here.
Cameron Norrie, a two-time finalist at the venue, is the second seed. He contested the United Cup last week but got eliminated in the group stage with his team. He won his singles tie against Alex de Minaur but lost to Taylor Fritz.
Francisco Cerundolo and Felix Auger-Aliassime are the third and fourth seeds, respectively. The latter was also a part of the Canadian contingent at the United Cup but played just a lone mixed doubles match due to an injury concern.
Christopher Eubanks, Arthur Fils, and Roberto Bautista Agut are some of the other players in the fray this week. Adrian Mannarino and Jan-Lennard Struff were supposed to participate too, but have withdrawn from the tournament.
Schedule
The qualifying matches are already underway and will wrap up by January, 7. The first-round matches will begin from Monday, January 8. The quarterfinals and the semifinals will take place on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
The championship round will be held on Saturday, January 13, with the day's proceedings set to begin at 11:30 a.m. local time.
Prize Money and Ranking Points
The total prize money for this year's edition of the ASB Classic stands at $661,585. The champion will also pocket 250 ranking points.
Here's a breakdown of the prize money and ranking points:
Where to watch
Viewers in the USA, UK, and Canada can watch the ASB Classic live on the following channels and sites:
USA: All matches will be broadcast on Tennis Channel.
UK: Viewers in the region can catch up on the proceedings on Sky UK.
Canada: Fans in the country can watch the matches on TSN.
