The youngest American tennis player to win a WTA Tour title since Coco Gauff is following in her footsteps to compete in the ASB Classic in January.

The 17-year-old Iva Jovic, who won the WTA 500 Guadalajara Open in Mexico this week, has confirmed she will play in the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Jovic is following a similar pathway to Gauff, who first played in Auckland at 15 years, and won the title aged 18 in 2023 and again in 2024. Gauff, now ranked third in the world, has commented that the ASB Classic is among her favourite places to play.

Jovic has risen to a remarkable 36th in the world rankings following her victory in Guadalajara, and will continue the trend of emerging global talent to come to Auckland.

“We are naturally thrilled that Iva wants to play at the ASB Classic in Auckland,” said ASB Classic Tournament Director, Nicolas Lamperin.

“The tournament has a history in featuring tomorrow’s stars today. We pride ourselves that our care of players, the great atmosphere from fans and the acknowledged benefits in this great city of Auckland are all key factors,” said Lamperin.

“People like Coco have been rich in praise for Auckland as the ideal starting point in their careers. We would like to think Iva is on a similar trajectory and fans here can witness up-close one of tomorrow’s potential world stars today.”

Jovic, who was born in Torrance and now lives in nearby Los Angeles, won her first professional tournament on the ITF circuit in 2023.

She became the youngest American to win a women’s main draw match in her US Open debut in 2024, and won her first round at the Australian Open this year, after winning USTA’s Wild Card Challenge. The American also won her first round at the French Open, and qualified for the main draw at Wimbledon.

Jovic won her first WTA 125 tournament at the Ilkley Open in England earlier this year before her first WTA 500 title in Guadalajara over Colombian Emiliana Arango 6-2 6-3 in the final.

Lamperin expects to finalise several key players in the coming few weeks.

This summer, the ASB Classic welcomes a bold new look, bringing more colour, energy and style to every corner of the tournament. Fans can look forward to a buzzing atmosphere, refreshed menus, a wider range of food and beverage options, and lively partner activations, capturing the very best of summer in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.

Making its debut in 2026 is the VIP Pōhutukawa Terrace, offering sensational centre-court views, a covered terrace with padded seating, and the introduction of in-seat food and beverage service. The fan experience is also getting a major upgrade with improved terraces, shaded areas, and the brand new Robinson Stand, delivering more space to relax, dine and mingle, all with enhanced sightlines of the on-court action.