HAMILTON - New Zealand's top-ranked player Mark Nielsen was eliminated from the Challenger international tennis tournament yesterday by Swedish qualifier Mathias Hellstrom.
The sixth-seeded Nielsen seemed headed for victory after winning the first set 7-5 but the 22-year-old Swede wore the New Zealander down to take out the next two sets 6-4 6-1 and advance to a second-round match against fellow qualifier Jaymon Crabb, of Australia.
Hellstrom, a former No 4 world-ranked junior, said the win in the $US25,000 ($NZ51,953) tournament would give him entry into more lucrative European tournaments.
His career in the senior ranks has been hampered by a serious back injury.
The tournament in Hamilton was his first since July. Last year he played the three Futures tournaments in New Zealand, reaching the semifinal in Tauranga, the finals in Timaru and the quarter-finals in Christchurch.
Hellstrom was clearly the better player yesterday despite his world ranking of 530 compared to Nielsen's 218. He played a number of superb backhands down the line.
New Zealand's James Greenhalgh earlier enjoyed an easy 6-4 6-2 win over Australian Peter Clarke while another New Zealand wildcard Mark Thompson lost 6-7 4-6 to Australian Joseph Sirianni.
The match looked as if it would be a tight one at 4-4 in the first set until Clarke served a couple of double faults and Greenhalgh played a delicate drop shot and then a lob to break serve.
Thompson had his chances for victory after breaking Sirianni's serve in the first and second sets. But inexperience cost him in the end.
Tennis: Nielsen fades after good start
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