Tennis: Statham ready to step it up after win

After his win yesterday, Rubin Statham now probably faces Albert Montanes in the second round. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Rubin Statham is quietly optimistic he can follow up yesterday's upset victory over Dan King-Turner in the first round of Auckland's men's tennis open with a genuine shock later in the week.

Statham handled the tricky conditions better to hustle past his higher-ranked countryman yesterday but he will need to improve dramatically to trouble either eighth seed Albert Montanes or unknown Australian qualifier James Lemke in the second round, most likely tomorrow.

Statham has played Montanes before at the Heineken Open, going down 6-4, 6-4 in the first round in 2008. He went into that match short of fitness and never looked like winning, but neither was he outclassed.

With two years of development under his belt, he will fancy his chances against the Spanish clay court specialist.

"He plays a similar type of game style to me but he does it a bit better, so I'm going to have to play the way I play but step it up," Statham said.

For that rematch to occur, Montanes will need to get past Lemke today. The Spaniard's awful record in Auckland - his only victory in four visits was against Statham - suggests that is far from certain despite Lemke's subterranean ranking of 456.

On an opening day when a lightweight schedule meant nothing much happened, there was at least a bit of raw emotion to digest. Most of it came from a devastated King-Turner, who conceded he blew the biggest opportunity of his career by turning in a shocking performance against his regular practice partner.

"It is tough to put it into words how disappointed I am, it is very, very frustrating," King-Turner said.

"It was one of my poorer matches in the last 12 months, to be honest. There is not really much you can spin to make it exciting, it was poor. I didn't play well, wasn't striking the ball well. I don't actually know what I did do well."

His erratic serve certainly didn't do him any favours but King-Turner's biggest problem was a glaring lack of mental toughness.

Statham was well ahead in pretty much every statistical category, with his ability to convert break points proving decisive. Statham converted five of 17 break opportunities, while King-Turner's only successes from nine chances came when Statham double-faulted.

In the end Statham needed to do little more than hang tough and wait for King-Turner to crack under pressure.

"It is a great start to the year, probably the best start you could ask for," Statham said after King-Turner put a forehand into the net to end a match low on overall quality.

Statham defended the quality of a match played in difficult, blustery conditions.

"At times there was some brilliance out there but it is tough in the swirling wind to play your best tennis," he said.

"Dan has got a great serve and I'm sure the wind may have affected it slightly.

"I returned well. I was looking to neutralise his serve foremost and from there I felt pretty comfortable."

Statham became the first local through to the second round in seven years, banking $8395 and 20 precious ranking points.