31 Dec 2016

Jade Lewis to face Venus Williams in first round

1:58 pm on 31 December 2016

National tennis champion Jade Lewis has been drawn to meet second seed Venus Williams in next week's first round of the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Jade Lewis

Jade Lewis Photo: Photosport

18-year-old Lewis was given a wildcard entry and will be playing in the main draw of a WTA event for the first time.

New Zealand number one and fellow wildcard Marina Erakovic will play Latvian teenager Jelena Ostapenko, who is ranked 44 in the world.

Top seed and major drawcard Serena Williams plays Pauline Parmentier of France.

Third seed Caroline Wozniacki faces American Nicole Gibbs while in perhaps the feature first round match Ana Konjuh of Croatia plays Kirsten Flipkens os belgium.

First Round

S. Williams (USA) vs. P. Parmentier (FRA)

Qualifier vs. M. Brengle (USA)

Qualifier vs. M. Lucic-Baroni (CRO)

[WC] M. Erakovic (NZL) vs. J. Ostapenko (LAT)

B. Strycova (CZE) vs. Qualifier

L. Safarova (CZE) vs. D. Allertova (CZE)

K. Nara (JPN) vs. [WC] A. Lottner (GER)

L. Davis (USA) vs. K. Bertens (NED)

A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) vs. J. Goerges (GER)

N. Broady (GBR) vs. D. Kovinic (MNE)

Qualifier vs. V. Lepchenko (USA)

N. Gibbs (USA) vs. C. Wozniacki (DEN)

A. Konjuh (CRO) vs. K. Flipkens (BEL)

Y. Wickmayer (BEL) vs. J. Larsson (SWE)

A. Beck (GER) vs. N. Osaka (JPN)

[WC] J. Lewis (NZL) vs. V. Williams (USA)