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8:35pm
That'll be all from us for tonight, so make sure to come back tomorrow for the women's singles final, where the top seed will look to take home this year's ASB Classic.
Thanks, and see you again soon!
8:30pm
Masarova responds to the break of serve, and responds by breaking serve!
Masarova will face Coco Gauff in the final tomorrow!
Bonaventure 3 3
Masarova 6 6
8:25pm
Bonaventure holds, but it feels like too little too late, Masarova will serve for the match at the other end.
Bonaventure then breaks at the other end! This isn't over yet!
Bonaventure 3 3
Masarova 6 5
8:17pm
And Masarova breaks yet again. She'll serve to go 5-1 up if she can hold.
Ruthless from Masarova, she holds to put herself in the frame to take this second set even quicker with another hold of serve.
Bonaventure 3 1
Masarova 6 5
8:09pm
Masarova breaks serve again, and then holds - just like she did in the first set.
Bonaventure 3 1
Masarova 6 3
8:02pm
Bonaventure holds serve to start the second set, but Masarova holds too and levels.
Bonaventure 3 1
Masarova 6 1
7:56pm
About to start the second set. Can Masarova keep this up to join Coco Gauff in the final?
Bonaventure 3 0
Masarova 6 0
7:53pm
Masarova has two set points, and only needs one. She wraps up the first set in just half an hour.
Bonaventure 3
Masarova 6
7:51pm
Masarova holds for a 5-2 lead in the first set, so Bonaventure will serve to stay in it.
Bonaventure holds, but Masarova still has the chance to serve for the set.
Bonaventure 3
Masarova 5
7:42pm
Masarova holds again to go 4-1 up, leaving Bonaventure with a lot to do.
But Bonaventure holds at the other end to stay in contention.
Bonaventure 2
Masarova 4
7:35pm
Masarova holds serve, and then breaks Bonaventure for a 3-1 lead in the first set.
Bonaventura 1
Masarova 3
7:29pm
But Bonaventure holds her own serve, and we're level.
Bonaventure 1
Masarova 1
7:25pm
And it takes Masarova just minutes to take the opening game.
Bonaventure 0
Masarova 1
7:23pm
Masarova will serve to get us underway, then.
7:15pm
Both players make their way to the court, looks like we're going to get on with it!
7:11pm
Well, the rain has stopped and now the groundstaff are working to dry the court as quickly as possible.
If the rain stays away, we could get play on the outside court after all!
6:37pm
Live pictures of centre court show that it's still chucking it down at Stanley Street.
There will likely be no more play outside tonight. Surely it's a matter of time before they move it indoors.
6:15pm
Now 6:30pm has been given as the earliest possible resumption time.
Again, centre court is preferred.
5:49pm
Word from the ASB Classic is that they will look for the second semi-final to be played on centre court.
No play before 6pm at this rate, but we'll need the weather and court to be dry if we're to get any play in.
Watch this space.
5:16pm
The rain has started bucketing down in Auckland now. This second semi-final will almost certainly have to take place on the inside court.
5:07pm
And just like that, the rain has returned.
Here's hoping it's only a passing shower, but the way this week has gone might be a sign of things to come...
4:58pm
To good from the No.1 seed. An emphatic victory on centre court to give the fans something to cheer about.
Gauff will face the winner of Ysaline Bonaventure and Rebeka Masarova, who'll take the court shortly.
4:56pm
Kovinic will serve, needing to hold to stop Gauff taking this match.
Gauff goes 15-40 up, and has two match points up her sleeve. She squanders one, as Kovinic gets it back to 30-40. Kovinic saves another match point, and we have deuce.
Gauff wins another point to get a third match point, but can't clear the net on her return.
Kovinic wins the next point and has advantage of her own, but can't convert it either.
Gauff wins the next point and has match point No.4, and this time she wins it!
Coco Gauff is into the final in straight sets!
Gauff 6 6
Kovinic 0 2
4:47pm
Gauff takes a 30-0 lead in the seventh, but Kovinic pulls it back to 30-30. Gauff keeps her composure though, and wins the next two points. She needs just one more game to win this and reach the final.
Gauff 6 5
Kovinic 0 2
4:44pm
Kovinic goes 40-15 up in her own service game - she's yet to hold serve in this match.
And she does hold serve with an ace! Where's this been?
Gauff 6 4
Kovinic 0 2
4:41pm
Gauff holds serve to go 4-1 up, as Kovinic receives treatment on her knee. Feels like when and not if the top seed takes this one.
Gauff 6 4
Kovinic 0 1
4:36pm
Gauff has break point and advantage in the fourth game, but Kovinic saves it. Gauff has a second break point, and this time wins it to restore her two game lead.
Gauff 6 3
Kovinic 0 1
4:28pm
Kovinic has two break points, and converts to win her first game of the semi-final!
Gauff 6 2
Kovinic 0 1
4:24pm
Kovinic gets out to a 30-0 lead in her first service game of the second set, but Gauff wins the next three for a 30-40 break point. Kovinic saves it, and we have deuce.
Kovinic double faults to give Gauff another break point, but saves it at the net. Gauff beats Kovinic with a volley for another break point, but again loses at the net.
Gauff has her fourth break point, and Kovinic hits the ball out to drop another game.
Gauff 6 2
Kovinic 0 0
4:16pm
And in four points, Gauff takes the first game of the second set.
Gauff 6 1
Kovinic 0 0
4:15pm
That first set took just 28 minutes for Gauff to win it. She'll serve to get the second set underway.
Gauff 6 0
Kovinic 0 0
4:12pm
Gauff races out to 30-0, but Kovinic pulls it back to 30-30. Gauff wins the next point, and has set point. She wins it, and takes the first set in no time!
Gauff 6 0
Kovinic 0 0
4:07pm
Kovinic has break point against Gauff, but the top seed saves it and wins her service game to go 5-0 up. Kovinic will serve to try and save the first set.
Gauff 5
Kovinic 0
4:03pm
Gauff holds serve in the third game to go 3-0 up in just over 10 minutes. Kovinic needs to hold or else this first set will get away from her, quickly.
Kovinic gets out to a 30-0 lead, but Gauff wins the next three points, and has one break point. Kovinic saves it to get to deuce. Gauff is beaten at the net and Kovinic has advantage, but loses the next point to get back to deuce.
Gauff gets to break point, but can't convert, so again we're back at deuce. Gauff has another break point, and this time converts it.
Gauff 4
Kovinic 0
3:50pm
Gauff finds her groove in the second game, and has two break points. But she only needs one - and takes the second game as well.
Gauff 2
Kovinic 0
3:47pm
Uncharacteristic mistakes from Gauff in the opening game, and Kovinic has two break points.
Gauff saves the first, and then the second to take it to deuce. Gauff has advantage, but double faults to bring it back to deuce.
Gauff has advantage for a second time, and this time wins it to take the first game.
Gauff 1
Kovinic 0
3:42pm
Right then! We'll get underway with Gauff to serve.
3:35pm
Gauff and Kovinic are out on centre court, going through their warm-ups.
3:30pm
Centre court is ready for play! Brilliant turnout from the crowd, despite grey skies.
Gauff v Kovinic is up first, which should get underway shortly.
3:16pm
The stands are packed, fans are piling into Stanley Street to see some action.
We're not far from the start of play in the first semi-final.
2:45pm
Good afternoon, and good news! The forecasted rain has not arrived, so we'll get some play in straight away!
A start time of 3:30pm has been put forward by organisers for the first of two semi-finals, so fingers crossed that pans out!
Coco Gauff and Danka Kovinic will face off in the first semi-final, before Ysaline Bonaventure and Rebeka Masarova hit the court for the second, after 5pm.
We'll bring you any news as it comes to hand, so stick around!
***********
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the ASB Classic women's tournament at Auckland's Stanley Street.
After a week plagued with rain, forcing matches indoors without spectators, the event has finally reached the semi-final stage, with favourite Coco Gauff still alive, but many of her fellow seeds eliminated early along the way.
Gauff, 18, won her way into the final four with a straight-sets result over Chinese Lin Zhu and face the only other live seed, Danka Kovinic of Montenegro (seventh).
The other side of the draw has been dominated by upsets, with American Sloane Stephens (second), Canadians Leylah Fernandez (third) and Rebecca Marino (eighth), and Chinese Xiyu Wang (fifth) all falling short of the semis.
Instead, qualifiers Ysaline Bonaventure of Belgium and Rebeka Masarova of Spain will chase their first WTA singles titles.
Organisers have scheduled the matches for the outdoor Stadium Court - as they have insisted on doing all week, in the hope they can provide some play for spectators - but that continues to be an extremely unlikely prospect, with no break in the rain in sight.
Today's order of play is:
Stadium Court
3pm start
1-Coco Gauff (USA) v 7-Danka Kovinic (Montenegro)
5pm start
Q-Ysaline Bonaventure (Belgium) v Q-Rebeka Masarova (Spain)
Viktoria Huzmova (Slovenia)/Arantxa Rus (Netherlands) v Miyu Kato (Japan)/Aldila Sutjiadi (Indonesia)
Join us at 3pm for the scheduled start of play.
ASB Classic director defends tournament after Raducanu criticism
By Alex Powell
ASB Classic tournament director Nicolas Lamperin has defended his event, after criticism from drawcard Emma Raducanu, who retired from the second round with injury.
Raducanu, 20, was forced to retire hurt, after rolling her ankle on Stanley Street's indoor court, as Auckland's inclement weather forced play indoors. She then took aim at the indoor surface and the tournament organisation as a whole.
In his first year as tournament director, Lamperin has dismissed the nature of Raducanu's comments and, after a revamp of the facilities, he emphasises there is no issue with the ASB Tennis Centre indoor courts.
"The courts have been checked," he said. "The courts are fit to play [on].
"We've had a number of matches on these two courts, we haven't had any injuries apart from yesterday. The courts have been redone at the start of [2022], there's a lot of work that's been done.
"As far as we're concerned, the courts are in playing condition."
Lamperin also gave his thoughts to Raducanu, who suffered the injury just weeks out from the Australian Open.
The setback is cruel for Raducanu, who had an injury-ravaged 2022, after announcing herself to the world with victory at the US Open in 2021.
"We're obviously very sorry about Emma's injury. Every player works really hard in the off-season and that's not what you expect when you play a tournament in week one.
"However, injuries happen all the time. It could have happened on outdoor courts as well.
"We feel [sorry] about the situation, but we also say these courts are fit to play [on]."
Lamperin also refuses to play the victim, as the tournament continues to be hampered by Auckland's climate. Every day has been affected by weather in some way, with the use of the indoor courts a last resort for organisers to complete the draw.
Lamperin insists the persistent threat of rain this year shouldn't have any impact on the future of the ASB Classic as a tournament for international stars in years to come.
"Every tournament in the world has had issues with the weather - it's us this year," he continued. "It's obviously very challenging.
"It's not the experience we'd like to deliver to the players and fans, but we just have to deal with it. I don't think, long term, it will have any negative impact on the tournament.
"This is nothing new in tennis."
While the need for a roof continues to be apparent, Lamperin has tempered expectations for fans.
"I can't make any comment on funding," he said. "If you're asking me if I'd like to have a tournament with a roof, I would say yes, for sure, but we need to be realistic.
"We're a [ATP] 250 tournament, for both women and men. How many 250 tournaments can afford to have a roof these days?"
