THERE could be a real changing of the guard at the 2020 ASB Classic in Auckland, with arguably the greatest women’s tennis player of all-time clashing against one who is expected to be a future star of the circuit.

FAVOURITE:

In what could be akin to a Group 1 racer dropping down to a Group 3 class, Serena Williams is the name that jumps out of the page from the Auckland entry list. Her resume is unrivalled, certainly by any current player, if not by anyone ever, and while she is still effectively returning from her pregnancy that kept her out of action for sometime, the multiple Grand Slam winner is as dangerous as ever. It was a little surprising to see her enter at Auckland over Brisbane, but it gives the American a chance to build into the season before presumably heading to Adelaide for the Adelaide International ahead of the Australian Open.

It would be bordering on at least surprising, if not shocking, if Williams did not claim the title here, with Julia Goerges the back-to-back defending champion – which while the German is a really solid player, her $9.6 million career prize money is pocket change compared to Williams who has pocketed a casual $92,543,816 over the journey. In other words, Williams might be 38-years-old, but if she is fully fit heading into Auckland, then she really should not have any problems.

CONTENDERS:

Goerges is the first name that comes to mind purely because she has been here and done it before. Not only does she lay claim to the 2018 and 2019 titles in Auckland, but she finished runners-up in 2016, so has made three of the past four finals in New Zealand – with a semi-final exit in 2017. Goerges is one of those players that can surprise if you are not careful and is a consistent third to fourth round player at Grand Slams. She might not have the firepower of some others on tour, but you cannot afford to take her lightly. Reckon the 31-year-old German might have had a restless night or two once she heard Williams had thrown her name in the ring.

One of a number of future stars worth noting here in Auckland, 19-year-old Bianca Andreescu had an eye-opening 2019, winning 48 of a possible 55 games, claiming all her three singles titles and winning the majority of her career prize money in a breakout season. The knock on teenager was her work outside of North America, with her best work actually here in Auckland 12 months ago, where she finished runners-up to Goerges in the final. Little did anyone suspect, the then 178th-ranked Canadian would go on to break through at Indian Wells, on home soil in Toronto, then stun the world with a US Open victory.

DARK HORSE:

It is fitting that young gun Coco Gauff makes her first 2020 appearance at Auckland, where Williams has entered given the comparisons that can be drawn. Both were young prodigies and Williams went on to become one of the greatest of all-time, while Gauff still has a long way to go, but at 15-year-old has already shown maturity beyond her years. She turned heads with a victory at Linz coming from a lucky loser spot, and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon and third round at US Open to provide plenty of highlights. Such is her young age that she is only allowed to play three tournaments this year prior to turning 16 in March, with Auckland, the Australian Open and Indian Wells the aims. So for Gauff, this is her only real Australian Open preparation. It would be a treat to see her come up against Williams as a changing of the guard in American tennis.

ROUGHIE:

Another American young gun, 18-year-old Amanda Anisimova is also a chance to hand the United States an early title, having entered here. She only played the 39 matches in 2019, winning 24 of them, and took out her maiden title at Bogota. Still a long way to go, she has previously reached the Round of 16 at the Australian Open, in a run that included a thumping 6-3 6-2 win over 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka. Now she has shown what she is capable of in patches, 2020 could be the year she takes the next step and breaks into the top 20.