Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina will face Alexandra Eala and Iva Jovic in what will be a battle between youth and experience in Auckland. Whoever wins, will take on either top seeds Asia Muhammad and Erin Routcliffe, and Jesika Malečková and Renata Zarazúa in the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic.
Interestingly, the combined age of Eala and Jovic is less than that of Williams’ alone. The former World No. 1 will play her first match since the US Open and since her marriage.
Svitolina produced some good performances in the 2025 season, winning the Open de Rouen and reaching the quarterfinals and beyond at multiple Grand Slams and WTA 1000 events. Eala and Jovic both reached their maiden WTA Tour singles finals last year, with the latter winning in Guadalajara.
Venus Williams / Elina Svitolina vs. Alexandra Eala / Iva Jovic Match Details
Date: Jan. 5, 2026
Tournament: ASB Classic 2026
Round: First Round (Round of 16)
Venue: ASB Tennis Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
Category: WTA 250
Surface: Hard
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, TSN, Sky Sports
Williams / Svitolina vs. Eala / Jovic Head-to-Head
The two pairs have not had any prior doubles encounters before, so their head-to-head is currently locked at 0-0.
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Williams / Svitolina vs. Eala / Jovic Prediction
Williams and Svitolina have an edge over their younger opponents not just because of their experience but also the fact that the American was part of a pair that did well to reach the quarterfinals at the US Open. While Leylah Fernandez is no longer her partner, Svitolina’s quality will come in very handy.
The Ukrainian has not played doubles for a while but given her performances in 2025 and experience, there is little doubt Williams and herself can be a very competitive pairing. The American’s serve and hitting will combine well with Svitolina’s movement and net game.
Eala and Jovic are two upcoming youngsters in tennis, both of whom showed considerable promise in 2025. Both players competed in doubles tournaments in 2025, with Jovic reaching the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open alongside Giuliana Olmos. Eala’s movement, stamina, and tenacity will all come in very handy.
As mentioned, the match will see two young players go neck-and-neck with a pair of veterans, one of whom won multiple Grand Slams and Olympic golds before they were born. While there are reasons to back Eala and Jovic, if Williams and Svitolina click well, they have a fair chance of coming out on top and reaching the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic.
Pick: Williams / Svitolina to win via a tiebreaker.
