All the results from day three of the men’s ASB Classic at Stanley Street.
Kiwi duo out in straight sets
12.10am: Kiwi doubles wildcards Ajeet Rai and KP Pannu have been eliminated by British pairing Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool.
The No 3 seeds were impressive on their way to a 6-3, 6-1 win, punching their ticket into the quarter-finals.
That will do it for the action on day three.
Top seed eliminated on day of upsets
11pm: A three-set loss for Ben Shelton against Jakub Mensik means the top four seeds in the men’s draw have been eliminated today.
Shelton couldn’t quite pull off the comeback against Mensik after dropping the first set in a tiebreaker, going on to win the second 6-4, before his Czech rival took the third 7-5.
Mensik will now meet the highest seed remaining in the tournament - No 7 Nuno Morges - in the quarter-finals tomorrow. The only other seeded player remaining in the tournament is No 8 Alex Michelsen.
Quarter-final draw for the men’s singles:
Nuno Borges [7] v Jakub Mensik
Alex Michelsen [8] v Nishesh Basavareddy
Zizou Bergs v Roberto Carballes Baena
Gael Monfils v Facundo Díaz Acosta
There is still a doubles match to be played tonight, with Kiwi duo Ajeet Rai and KP Pannu taking on British third seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool.
Shelton and Mensik to go the distance
10:15pm: Ben Shelton has won the second set of his match against Jakub Mensik 6-4 to force a decider, after his Czech counterpart won the first 7-6 (2).
Shelton picked up the only break of serve in the match so far in the second set, cashing in his first break point while successfully defending the four Mensik had against him.
Elsewhere, seventh seed Nuno Borges has moved into the quarter-finals with a three-set win over Mariano Navone. Navone won the first set 6-4, but Borges finished strong to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Top seed drops first set
9:24pm: American Ben Shelton will have to go the distance if he is to move into the quarter-finals at Stanley Street, with Jakub Mensik winning the first set of their round of 16 clash tonight.
Neither man could break the other’s serve in the set, however Mensik ran out to a 6-1 lead in the tiebreaker and closed it out to take the set 7-6 (2) in 57 minutes.
Play resumes
8:15pm: We’re back in action at Stanley Street, with Ben Shelton taking on Jakub Mensik for a spot in the quarter-finals.
American Shelton comes in as the top seed, ranked at No 21 in the world currently, while Mensik is unseeded in the tournament, but sits at No 49 in the ATP rankings.
The pair have met once before, with Shelton winning in three sets - 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 - in March last year.
Rain sets in
7:00pm: A bit of a delay in proceedings due to the weather. The round of 16 match between Mariano Navone and seventh seed Nuno Borges has been suspended in the second set. Navone holds a one-set lead, taking the first 6-4, though Borges leads 5-4 in the second.
The last match of the round, between top seed Ben Shelton and Jakub Mensik is also scheduled to be played tonight.
Monfils moves on
6:30pm: After an impressive comeback yesterday, it was a bit more comfortable for Gael Monfils in the round of 16.
Monfils dispatched German Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets 6-1, 7-6(5) in a 90-minute match.
The 38-year-old will meet Argentinan Facundo Diaz Acosta after the lucky loser upset compatriot and third seed Sebastian Baez 6-4, 7-6 (1).
5:48pm Navone is up 4-2 in the first set, Struff is up 4-3 over Monfils in their second set.
Monfils goes up one
5:20pm: The Frenchman cleans up the first set, winning 6-1 over Struff.
Mariano Navone and Nuno Borges are underway on grand stand.
5:07: Carballés advances over Cerundolo 6-2, 7-5.
Gael Monfils is up 3-1 against Jan-Lennard Struff on centre court.
Diaz takes tie-break
4:30pm: Facundo Diaz Acosta beats third seed Sebastian Baez 6-4, 7-6 to advance to the next round.
Carballés is up 4-3 over Cerundolo in the second set.
4:15pm: Carballés takes the first set over Cerundolo 6-2.
3:57pm: Baez is up 4-2 in the second set over Diaz while on grandstand Roberto Carballés Baena is up 3-2 in the first set over Francisco Cerundolo.
Michelsen advances
3:25pm: Alex Michelsen beats Lorenzo Sonego 7-6, 6-2 to advance.
Diaz takes the tightly contested first set 6-4.
2:44pm: Diaz goes up 3-1 over the third seed Baez in the first set on centre court.
Michelsen is up 2-1 on grandstand.
2:20pm: Michelsen wins the tie-break 7-3 and the set 7-6.
Defending champ exits
2:10pm: Nishesh Basavareddy has beaten the defending champion Alejandro Tabilo 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to advance - huge result for the teenager.
Next up on centre court is the all-Argentine battle between Facundo Díaz Acosta and third seed Sebastian Baez.
Michelsen and Sonego head to a tie-break to decide their first set.
1:47pm: Tabilo holds serve to go 4-3 up in the third set.
Sonego and Michelsen are locked at 3-3 in their first set on grandstand.
1:12pm: Tabilo takes the second set over Basavareddy 7-5 to set up a deciding third set on centre court.
Eighth seed Alex Michelsen is about to take on Lorenzo Sonego on grandstand.
1:03pm: Belgian advances
Zizou Bergs makes relatively light work of Luca Nardi 6-1, 6-4 to advance.
12:55pm: Tabilo and Basavareddy are trading blows on centre court in a tight second set, it’s currently locked at 4-4.
Bergs is up 5-4 in the second set over Nardi after turning around a 3-1 deficit.
12:29pm: The 19-year-old Basavareddy takes the first set 6-4! Huge for the young man as he draws first blood over the defending champ.
Over on grandstand, Nardi is up 3-1 in the second set.
12:14pm: Basavareddy breaks
The unseeded American breaks Tabilo’s serve, and then holds at the other end for a 5-3 advantage in the opening set.
On the grandstand court, Bergs has taken the first set, easily, 6-1.
Even start
12:05pm: It’s pretty close to start the first match on centre court. Basavareddy and Tabilo are locked at 3-3 in the first set. Basavareddy has missed five break points so far, Tabilo has missed two.
On the grandstand court, Zizou Bergs holds a 4-1 lead over Luca Nardi, fresh from his walkover victory yesterday.
Good morning
11:20am: Welcome back to NZ Herald’s live coverage of the ASB Classic 2025.
Yesterday was tough viewing for fan favourites, former Kiwi representative Cam Norrie exited in the first round and Gael Monfils came from a set down and a tie-break to eventually win in three sets.
Today we have second seed and defending champion Alejandro Tabilo taking on 19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy on centre court at 11.30am.
At 12.40pm, the all-Argentine clash between Facundo Díaz Acosta and third seed Sebastian Baez will also feature on centre court.
Later on, big serving top-seeded American Ben Shelton will face Czech Republic’s Jakub Mensik at around 6.30pm.
Centre Court - start 11:30
[Q] Nishesh Basavareddy (USA) vs [2] Alejandro Tabilo (CHI)
[LL] Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG) vs [3] Sebastian Baez (ARG)
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) vs Gael Monfils (FRA)
Not Before 18:30
[1] Ben Shelton (USA) vs [LL] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) or Jakub Mensik (CZE)
[3] Julian Cash (GBR) / Lloyd Glasspool (GBR) vs [WC] Kiranpal Pannu (NZL) / Ajeet Rai (NZL)
Grandstand - start 11:30
[Q] Zizou Bergs (BEL) vs [Q] Luca Nardi (ITA)
[8] Alex Michelsen (USA) vs Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)
[4] Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) vs Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)
Mariano Navone (ARG) vs [7] Nuno Borges (POR)
Court 2 - start 11:30
Ariel Behar (URU) / Robert Galloway (USA) vs [2] Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) / Andres Molteni (ARG)
Alexander Erler (AUT) / Andreas Mies (GER) vs [4] Sadio Doumbia (FRA) / Fabien Reboul (FRA)
Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Albano Olivetti (FRA) vs Sander Arends (NED) / Luke Johnson (GBR)
Gael Monfils speaks with media after progressing to the quarter-finals in Auckland. Video / Michael Burgess