After winning through qualifying New Zealand Davis Cup team member Marcus Daniell and Brazilian partner Marcelo Demoliner have lost in the first round of the big ATP Masters 500 tournament in Barcelona.
Daniell and Demoliner were defeated by the experienced pair of Aisam Qureshi (Pakistan) and Romanian Florin Mergea 6-4 6-4.
However at the US$75,000 Challenger at Tallahassee, Florida Rubin Statham has won his way into the main draw of singles after beating Japans Yosuke Wantanuki 6-3 6-3. His third match in qualifying.
Statham will face Argentine Leonardo Mayer ranked at 131 is the tournament sixth seed and was ranked as high as 21 in the world two years ago.
Meanwhile Queenstowns Ben Mclachlan has risen to a career-high ATP doubles ranking after reach the semifinals at the US$125,000 Challenger in Taipei last week. Mclachlan teamed with Australian Steven de Waard to make the last four of the tournament and has now seen his ranking improve 15 places to 152 in the world.
Other New Zealand doubles rankings have Michael Venus at 41, Daniell 47 and Artem Sitak 58. Statham is the top ranked Kiwi singles player at 399.
- This story has been automatically published using a media release from New Zealand Tennis
Mixed results for Kiwi tennis players
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