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Big guns gear up for Classic second round

Seven of the ASB Classic's top eight seeds, as well as the tournament's chief wildcard, will play in Wednesday's second-round tennis matches.

Auckland tennis fans are likely to be treated to an ASB Classic clash of the titans on Wednesday as all favourites passed through the first round.

With the top four Classic seeds receiving a bye, the tournament's sixth, seventh and eighth seeds won at a canter first up, as well as wildcard Dustin Brown.

Cypriot gun Marcos Baghdatis breezed past Adrian Mannarino 6-4 6-4 on Tuesday evening, following Feliciano Lopez and Steve Johnson's efforts on Monday.

Only fifth-seeded Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas failed to get through to the second round, going down to Portuguese training buddy Joao Sousa 6-1 7-5.

The world No.26 Ramos-Vinolas looked well off the pace in Auckland despite his high seeding, struggling to cope with Sousa's service and forehand game.

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The first-round results set up a bumper day of tennis on Wednesday, starting with third-seeded Spanish veteran David Ferrer against Dutch journeyman Robin Haase.

American big-hitter John Isner will follow, before top-seeded 2016 champion Roberto Bautista-Agut takes on 2015 Czech champion Jiri Vesely.

Off centre court, Sousa will play the fiery Australian-turned-Brit Brydan Klein, who defeated Argentine clay-courter Facundo Bagnis 6-1 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-3).

Brown will also take on the equally unpredictable Baghdatis before Lopez plays Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who defeated Kiwi Artem Sitak on Tuesday.

The Russian-born Sitak lost 6-4 6-2 to the Frenchman on Tuesday evening and struggled from beginning to end facing serve.

"I don't think I've ever played a singles match against a guy who hits that fast and that big, and it was fun to see that," Sitak said.

Before those match-ups, Johnson will tussle with Taiwanese veteran Lu Yen-Hsun, who defeated Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (11-9).

In the evening, fourth-seed Jack Sock will play compatriot Ryan Harrison, who secured a 6-1 6-2 win over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

Every Classic winner since 2010 will take to the court on Wednesday.


2 min read

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Source: AAP



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