ASB Classic day one results: Men’s tournament begins at Stanley Street

Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain plays a shot against Daniel Altmaier of Germany. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand’s Isaac Becroft takes to centre court this afternoon at the ASB Classic against Zizou Bergs.

Today’s earlier action saw both matches go to three sets. Nuno Borges won the first and the second by Roberto Carballes Baena.

6.33pm: Kiwi fights hard but goes down

End the end, the 24-year-old Becroft wasn’t quite good enough and Bergs held him to love to win the second set and advance to the next round winning 6-3, 7-5.

There were plenty of encouraging moments from Becroft. He had plenty of support from the roaring home crowd and took the second to set point but Bergs held on and kicked into gear, winning four of the next five games.

5.41pm: Bergs wins first set 6-3

Belgium’s Zizou Bergs takes the first set 6-3. The crowd got behind Becroft and got louder as the match went on, with the young Kiwi showing plenty of talent. The match was 3-3 at one stage after Becroft held the serve a couple of times.

Bergs was ultimately too good in the first.

An interesting stat from the first set: Bergs had 39% on first serves (to Becroft’s 62%) but he won 85% of first serves points.

Round of 32 day one results

*Estimated start times

Singles

Nuno Borges defeated Luciano Darderi 5-7, 6-3, 7-5

Roberto Carballes Baena defeated Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 3-6, 7-5

Zizou Bergs defeated Isaac Becroft (NZL) 6-3, 7-5.

6.30pm*: Alex Michelsen v Sumit Nagal

Doubles

Sebastian Baez and Francisco Comesana defeated Yunchaokete Bu and Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-2

Christian Harrison and Rajeev Ram defeated Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens 6-4, 7-6

7.40pm*: Michael Venus (NZL) and Nikola Mektic v Santiago Gonzalez and Lucas Miedler

Naomi Osaka statement

Naomi Osaka, who was meant to be the new queen of Auckland tennis, joining a group of A-list champions like Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic and Coco Gauff, pulled out of the ASB Classic final on Sunday after retiring hurt.

In a short but sweet statement on Monday, the four-time Major champion said: “I’m having an MRI today to assess. I don’t feel that it’s too serious and I still feel very optimistic about AO [Australian Open].”

The injury suffered by the Japanese star happened towards the end of the first set, forcing her to retire after taking the opening bracket 6-4 - only the second such occurrence in a women’s final here since 1956.

It was a calamity. Especially for Osaka – who had put so much into this week – and now faces an uncertain build-up ahead of the Australian Open. But also for the occasion, the tournament and the crowd. And her opponent Tauson, who admitted afterwards it was the worst final of her career.

Read more about it here: Naomi Osaka injury in final against Clara Tauson brings downcast end to event

Day two order of play

Centre Court - start 11.30am

[Q] Luca Nardi (ITA) vs [6] Flavio Cobolli (ITA)

Cameron Norrie (GBR) vs [LL] Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG)

Pedro Martinez (ESP) vs Gael Monfils (FRA)

Not before 6.30pm

[SE] Alexandre Muller (FRA) vs Jakub Mensik (CZE)

[WC] Marcus Daniell (NZL) / James Watt (NZL) vs Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) / Luciano Darderi (ITA)

Grandstand - start 11:30am

[WC] Gabriel Diallo (CAN) vs Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)

Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) vs Yunchaokete Bu (CHN)

Court 2 - start 11:30am

Mariano Navone (ARG) vs [LL] Adrian Mannarino (FRA)

[Q] Nishesh Basavareddy (USA) vs [LL] Francisco Comesana (ARG)