It appears almost certain that Erin Routliffe will have to pull out of the ASB Classic, robbing the event of one of its marquee players. She and Gaby Dabrowski would have been top seeds in the doubles, but don’t appear in the list of advance entries. Routliffe is battling to regain full fitness after a series of minor injuries, with the worst apparently affecting her ribs. If she does withdraw, hopefully she will be fit enough to play in Adelaide as a lead-up to the Australian Open. Ranked two and three in the world, she and Dabrowski will be top seeds wherever they play.
