Tennis: Spanish big guns to spice up centre court

After bursting into life yesterday the Auckland's men's tennis open should step up another notch again today when the top four seeds come out to play in the second round.

Day three's action will have a pronounced Spanish flavour, with top seed Tommy Robredo and countrymen David Ferrer, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Nicolas Almagro all to feature on centre court.

The steady diet of Spanish baseliners is completed by eighth seed Albert Montanes, who takes on local hope Rubin Statham.

The flipside to Monday's light schedule is almost an embarrassment of riches today, with a marquee match between towering American John Isner and impressive Argentinian Juan Monaco forced on to an outside court. Monaco's 6-3, 6-0 destruction of countryman Horacio Zeballos in the opening match on centre court was particularly impressive, while Isner battled back from a set down to subdue Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

Isner was out of sorts in the early going, dropping his serve twice as Garcia-Lopez picked on his backhand to claim the first set.

But the 2.06m American battled away to take the second set in a tiebreak before finding his range with some thundering serves in the third set to ease to a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory in just under two hours.

Isner will have his hands full with the polished Monaco but if he serves the way he did in the third set yesterday will have every chance.

"I am going to have to take chances," Isner said.

"The guy is so tough from the baseline so I am not going to try to out-rally him. I am going to make more mistakes than him but I might hit more winners than him as well. I have to hold my serve and take my chances - play big man tennis."

Court six could be the place to be today, with former champion Philipp Kohlschreiber and wildcard Sebastien Grosjean to light up proceedings after posting good wins yesterday.

Grosjean began his comeback from shoulder surgery with a thrilling three-set victory over German Florian Meyer.

The one-time world No 3 has slipped to 675 but he more than justified his wildcard with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory to book a second round meeting with Austrian sixth seed Jurgen Melzer.

Kohlschreiber eased past Inigo Cervantes-Huegin - the lucky loser replacement for David Nalbandian - to set up a second round match against Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci.

Finding out he would face the lowly ranked Spaniard instead of Nalbandian had been a nice surprise when he returned to his hotel after dinner on Monday night, Kohlschreiber said.

The 2008 champion had a relatively simple 6-2, 6-3 passage.

Former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero is first up on centre court, followed by a rematch of the 2008 encounter between Statham and Montanes.

Fresh from a victory over world No 5 Andy Murray at the Hopman Cup, top seed Robredo takes on German Simon Greul.

Second seed David Ferrer headlines the night session when he will take on French veteran Arnaud Clement after Clement upset countryman Jeremy Chardy 7-5, 6-4 last night.