ASB Navratilova Seles Classic tickets hot property

ASB Navratilova Seles Classic tickets hot property in Auckland

North Island tennis fans may be forced to fly south to watch next month¹s ASB Navratilova Seles Classic exhibition matches.

Tickets have almost sold out for the Auckland match between Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles, two of the world¹s biggest names in women¹s tennis, at the ASB Bank Tennis Centre on February 1. Canterbury Tennis Executive Director David Blackwell predicts that many North Island fans will now try to secure tickets for the Christchurch exhibition at the Westpac Centre on February 3.

³There are still plenty of very good seats available and we are expecting an excellent response from the public as the match date approaches,² David Blackwell says.

Past tennis exhibition matches held in Christchurch have traditionally attracted fans from throughout the South Island and the lower North Island.

³But with Auckland close to selling out, we will definitely get tennis supporters from further north.²

Navratilova and Seles, who are both left-handers and former world number ones, are also both playing for their first time ever in New Zealand.

Navratilova has won a staggering 58 Grand Slam titles in her career spanning more than 30 years. Her record includes nine Wimbledon singles titles (six consecutive) and the rare achievement of being the only man or woman in the Tennis Open era to win every title in singles, doubles or mixed at every Grand Slam at least once. She won her first Grand Slam title aged 17 and her 58th aged 46.

Seles, 31, who intends holidaying in New Zealand with her mother after the exhibition matches, has won nine Grand Slam singles titles. She is universally popular with crowds who admire both her tenacity and courage.

Her New Zealand exhibition matches marks her return to tennis following recovery from a foot injury which has prevented her competing for the past 18 months.