ASB Classic 2026 Auckland Doubles Final: How to Watch Yang/Xu v Mladenovic/Guo on Sky Sport 1 NZ with Rikki Swannell on Commentary

The ASB Classic women’s event in Auckland is one of the standout WTA 250 tournaments that launches the new tennis season each January, providing a key warm‑up ahead of the Australian Open.[6][3] For viewers in New Zealand, the women’s doubles final between Zhaoxuan Yang and Yifan Xu versus Kristina Mladenovic and Hanyu Guo is being broadcast live on Sky Sport 1 NZ/HD, the country’s flagship subscription sports channel that routinely carries top‑tier tennis as part of its extensive rights portfolio.[5] While British, American and Australian fans are more used to tournaments being carried by the likes of Sky Sports, TNT Sports, BBC, ESPN or Tennis Channel, the Auckland event underlines how important domestic broadcasters such as Sky Sport NZ are in bringing WTA 250 action from the Southern Hemisphere to local audiences.[6][9]

This women’s doubles final closes out the WTA 250 week in Auckland, held at the ASB Tennis Centre from 5–11 January 2026 on outdoor hard courts.[3][6] The match appears on the official WTA order of play for the final Sunday, scheduled on Centre Court before the women’s singles final, with a trophy presentation to follow.[5] That schedule confirms an all‑Chinese top‑seeded pair of Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan taking on the second‑seeded team of Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic, representing China and France respectively.[5][3] With proven doubles pedigree on both sides of the net, this is a high‑quality curtain‑raiser to the singles championship match between Elina Svitolina and Wang Xinyu.[5][3]

Where to Watch: Sky Sport 1 NZ/HD Coverage

The match is live on Sky Sport 1 NZ/HD, part of the premium Sky Sport network in New Zealand that carries a wide portfolio of domestic and international sports, including tennis, rugby, cricket and football.[9] For viewers in Auckland and across New Zealand, Sky Sport 1 NZ is the primary destination for the ASB Classic women’s event, with centre‑court action given pride of place on the schedule.[6] While exact international broadcast details vary by territory and rights agreements, it is typical for WTA 250 events to be carried by regional rights holders, such as dedicated tennis channels or the main sports networks in Britain, the United States and Australia.[6][10]

Fans in the UK and Europe often watch WTA events through pay‑TV sports packages or specialist streaming services that hold WTA rights, while American viewers are used to coverage on platforms such as ESPN or dedicated tennis broadcasters.[6] Australian viewers, meanwhile, typically pick up WTA coverage through local rights partners or via global streaming deals tied into the Australian summer of tennis, which includes the Auckland tournament as a lead‑in event to Melbourne.[6][4] For this specific final in Auckland, New Zealanders have the most straightforward route: turn on Sky Sport 1 NZ or access the corresponding HD stream via Sky’s digital platforms at the advertised start time.[5]

The Match: Yang/Xu v Mladenovic/Guo

The 2026 ASB Classic women’s doubles final brings together two highly capable pairings with strong recent form. According to the official draws and order of play, Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan enter the final as the top seeds in the doubles field, a reflection of their established status on the WTA doubles circuit.[8][5] They have already underlined their quality in Auckland by defeating Alexandra Eala and Iva Jovic in the semi‑finals, winning in straight sets and securing their place in the championship match.[1] Their combination of experienced net play, solid serving and cohesive court coverage makes them one of the most reliable teams on tour in WTA 250‑level events and beyond.[8]

On the other side of the net, Hanyu Guo and Kristina Mladenovic arrive in the final as the second seeds, setting up a classic No. 1 versus No. 2 showdown for the title.[3][5] Guo represents the growing strength of Chinese women’s tennis in doubles, while Mladenovic brings an extensive Grand Slam doubles résumé and years on the WTA circuit to the partnership. The final therefore features a mix of established Chinese doubles excellence and a French player who has been a regular presence at the business end of major doubles draws, ensuring that the Auckland trophy will be lifted by a team rich in experience.[3][8]

The official WTA tournament overview confirms that the 2026 ASB Classic is staged on hard courts with a 32‑player singles draw and associated doubles event, offering a total financial commitment of $283,347.[6] As a WTA 250, the doubles title in Auckland can provide valuable early‑season ranking points and confidence ahead of the Australian Open, which often sees many of the same players competing in Melbourne shortly afterwards.[6][10] For Yang, Xu, Mladenovic and Guo, lifting the trophy in Auckland is not only about silverware; it is an ideal launchpad for the year’s first major and a chance to test their partnerships under pressure.[6]

The Tournament: ASB Classic as a WTA 250 Lead‑In to Melbourne

The ASB Classic has long been a key part of the tennis calendar, with the women’s event in 2026 running from 5 to 11 January at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland.[3][6] Official information from the WTA describes the event as a WTA 250 tournament played on outdoor hard courts, historically known as the Auckland Open before adopting the ASB Classic branding.[6][3] The women’s edition in 2026 is the 39th staging of the event, underlining its longevity and its continued role as an important warm‑up ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne.[3][4]

The tournament has a rich history, dating back to the 1950s, and has seen champions from across the globe, including Australian, American and European players.[6] New Zealand’s own Ruia Morrison remains an iconic figure in the tournament’s past, having claimed the title twice in the late 1950s and early 1960s.[6] In 2026, the women’s singles draw features big names such as Elina Svitolina, Emma Navarro, Iva Jovic, Alexandra Eala, Magda Linette, Janice Tjen, Xinyu Wang and Peyton Stearns among the seeds, showing the depth of talent using Auckland as a springboard into the new season.[6][10]

The doubles final featuring Xu/Yang against Guo/Mladenovic sits in that broader context of early‑season competition, with players fine‑tuning tactics, testing new partnerships and adapting to conditions in the Southern Hemisphere. The official WTA order of play lists the doubles final before the singles final, culminating in a trophy presentation ceremony that celebrates both the doubles and singles champions on the final day.[5] For ticket‑holders and hospitality guests, the event offers a full day of action, combining the doubles showcase with the marquee singles title match.[4][5]

On‑Air Team: Storm Purvis, Rikki Swannell, Sebastian Lavie and Kimberlee Ritchie

Sky Sport 1 NZ’s coverage of the ASB Classic doubles final is fronted by a New Zealand‑based on‑air team with deep links to tennis and sports broadcasting. The presenter for the broadcast is Storm Purvis, a former elite netballer who has successfully transitioned into media work, becoming a familiar face on Sky Sport across multiple codes. Her background as a professional athlete gives her an instinctive understanding of high‑performance environments, which translates into informed studio discussion, insightful pre‑match build‑up and composed hosting duties in live settings.

The main commentary is provided by Rikki Swannell, one of New Zealand’s leading multi‑sport broadcasters. Swannell has extensive experience calling tennis, rugby, cricket and other sports for television and radio, and has become a key voice in coverage of major events held in New Zealand. Her commentary style blends clear description with tactical analysis, ensuring that casual viewers and dedicated tennis fans alike can follow the flow of the match, understand the nuances of doubles positioning and appreciate the skill levels on display at WTA 250 level.[5]

Alongside Swannell in the commentary box is co‑commentator Sebastian Lavie, who adds a technical tennis perspective. Lavie has a strong tennis background, including coaching and development roles within New Zealand, which allows him to detail serve patterns, return strategies, net play and the communication dynamics that are so crucial in doubles. His insights complement Swannell’s play‑by‑play commentary, giving viewers a rounded broadcast that covers both the narrative of the match and the mechanics behind it.

Reporting from courtside is Kimberlee Ritchie (née Downs), a respected New Zealand sports journalist and presenter. Ritchie has worked across television and digital platforms for major broadcasters in the country, covering rugby, cricket, football and multi‑sport events. Her role during the ASB Classic broadcast typically includes live updates from near the court, in‑match reports on momentum shifts or medical timeouts, and post‑match interviews with players and coaches. That direct access helps bring viewers closer to the key personalities of the doubles final and adds human context to the result, particularly important in early‑season events where partnerships are still evolving.

Why this Doubles Final Matters

The ASB Classic doubles final is more than just an additional match on the schedule; it is the culmination of a week in which partnerships have been tested against a range of styles. For Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan, a title in Auckland would reaffirm their status as one of the top doubles teams on the WTA circuit and provide a timely confidence boost ahead of the Australian Open.[8][6] Their semi‑final win over Eala and Jovic already demonstrates that they are comfortable against youthful, aggressive teams, and a victory over another seeded pair in the final would underline their consistency.[1][8]

For Hanyu Guo and Kristina Mladenovic, the final represents both an opportunity and a statement. Guo, as part of the new wave of Chinese doubles talent, can gain valuable experience in a high‑pressure final, while Mladenovic can draw on her history of success in big doubles matches to guide the partnership through key moments.[3][8] Securing the Auckland title would give them immediate ranking points and momentum as they head into the remainder of the Australian summer swing.[6][10]

For viewers in New Zealand, having the match live on Sky Sport 1 NZ/HD with a dedicated local presenting and commentary team reinforces the importance of the ASB Classic in the national sports calendar. For fans in the UK, the USA and Australia keeping track of results and highlights, the Auckland doubles final is a useful early form guide, showing which partnerships may be ready to contend deep into the draw at the Australian Open and other key hard‑court events that follow.[6][9]

Whether you are tuning in primarily for the high‑level doubles tactics, to hear the analysis of Rikki Swannell and Sebastian Lavie, or to see how established and emerging players are shaping up ahead of Melbourne, the ASB Classic women’s doubles final offers a compelling mix of competitive tennis and polished broadcasting from Auckland’s ASB Tennis Centre.[5][6]

External links (escaped):
\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.wtatennis.com\/tournaments\/1049\/auckland\/2026\"\u003eOfficial WTA ASB Classic 2026 overview\u003c/a\u003e
\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.asbclassic.co.nz\/en\/\"\u003eASB Classic official tournament site\u003c/a\u003e
\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2026_ASB_Classic\"\u003e2026 ASB Classic tournament details\u003c/a\u003e