KEY POINTS:
Dan King-Turner, New Zealand's sole singles player in the country's premier men's tennis tournament, was today knocked out in the first round.
King-Turner, a wildcard entry into the Heineken Open in Auckland, was beaten 6-3 6-3 by Argentinian qualifier Juan Monaco.
Monaco, ranked 71 in the world, had to call the trainer on to deal with a calf injury after King-Turner broke his service early in the first set.
The treatment clearly worked as Monaco was too strong in the rest of the first set.
King-Turner broke early in the second set and was up 3-1 but a high error rate and some good ground strokes by Monaco meant the New Zealander did not win another game.
Monaco will now play last year's semifinalist Olivier Rochus of Belgium in the second round.
King-Turner has one match later tonight, teaming with 2006 singles winner Jarkko Nieminen in the doubles against New Zealanders Oliver and Rubin Statham.
- NZPA
