It was telling that the main topic of conversation on arrival at the ASB Classic was what a nice day it was in Auckland. However, it's not that great a day. It's windy and overcast, but in comparison to the previous rain-disrupted week it was good enough.
German tennis player Julia Goerges. Photo: Photosport Ltd
Of course, this was supposed to be a day off. Unfortunately most of the patrons hadn't made plans for a bonus day, with the ageing concrete terraces home to only a handful.
The sponsor's competition of hitting a ball into the crowd for someone to catch became an almost fruitless affair - at first the guy lobbing them out had to actually find a decent patch of spectators, then had to contend with a basic level of catching ability that would make the guys botching each Catch-a-Million chance at the cricket blush.
There was still a good turn out in the corporate boxes, where Aucklanders wearing straw hats and saying 'ciao' unironically were as rife as ever.
The day's first result saw the doubles final go the way of Sara Errani and Bibiane Schoofs, who comfortably accounted for the Japanese duo of Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato 7-5, 6-1. The finalists then had the honour of having their trophies handed to them by a sponsor who wore his finest pair of jandals to the ceremony.
As always though, today was about the singles. Despite the rain, the draw did deliver the top two seeds: Caroline Wozniacki and Julia Goerges.
The day might have been slightly more notable if high profile Agnieszka Radwańska had made it, but the Pole was knocked out in her quarter final. However, she did find enough time to officiate a wedding ceremony/marketing stunt on centre court during her time here.
Caroline Wozniacki in action at the ASB Classic in Auckland. Photo: Photosport
Top seed Wozniacki had breezed through her matches in the tournament, dropping only one set. But it was to be a much tougher assignment against the 14th ranked Goerges.
The crowd had swelled to a respectable size by the time the match started, although unfortunately it wasn't nearly as full as it would've been had the weather played its part.
An early break proved crucial in the first set, which the German took 6-4 with an ace. It'd been an intriguing battle, with neither player erring other than Wozniacki's slow start. In fact, the only blemishes being made were the ground announcer and umpire conspiring to make up three different versions of how to pronounce Goerges' name.
She looked to have the match within her grasp at 4-3 up in the second, but she picked probably the worst time ever to start double faulting - handing a breakpoint to Wozniacki. It simply prolonged the inevitable though, with the set leading to a tiebreak and another punishing Goerges forehand winner to give her the title - which the ASB rep at least had the dignity to wear shoes for when she was handed the title.
It makes up for Goerges' 2016 final loss to Sloane Stephens in the ASB Classic, and is reward for coming to the tournament for the last decade. Meanwhile Wozniacki will still head to the upcoming Australian Open with some confidence, given the good form in her lead up matches to the final. The final placing meant that she is now the official world number two.
So now we look forward to the men's tournament, and thankfully a much better weather forecast. The Classic has managed to assemble an outstanding field, so the crowds should keep rolling in for tennis' time in the limelight.
