AUCKLAND: Former champion John Isner and reigning title-holder Ugo Humbert were both eliminated as the first-round upsets continued at the weather-hit Auckland Classic on Tuesday.
A cyclone battering New Zealand forced all matches indoors on day two, a disruption for players using the tournament as preparation for the Australian Open starting on Monday.
Switching to the quicker, sheltered courts appeared to favour qualifiers Gregoire Barrere and Christopher Eubanks.
The Frenchman Barrere admitted it was a big factor in his 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 defeat of 37-year-old American Isner.
“This morning, when I knew we were going indoors, I was quite happy because it’s my best court,” said 88th-ranked Barrere after taming Isner’s famously formidable serve.
“Isner serves really well. Even if I only broke once, at the end, I’m happy.
“When you have a chance to go for the break, you have to be there because against him you only get the chance once or twice.”
Isner, the Auckland champion in 2010 and 2014, sent down 28 aces to add to his ATP Tour record tally, which has now surpassed 14,000 aces over a 17-year career.
The American Eubanks won 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) against Frenchman Humbert, who was champion when the tournament was last staged in 2020.
Wednesday features the first appearance of Norwegian world number three Casper Ruud, who received a first-round bye.
A cyclone battering New Zealand forced all matches indoors on day two, a disruption for players using the tournament as preparation for the Australian Open starting on Monday.
Switching to the quicker, sheltered courts appeared to favour qualifiers Gregoire Barrere and Christopher Eubanks.
The Frenchman Barrere admitted it was a big factor in his 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 defeat of 37-year-old American Isner.
“This morning, when I knew we were going indoors, I was quite happy because it’s my best court,” said 88th-ranked Barrere after taming Isner’s famously formidable serve.
“Isner serves really well. Even if I only broke once, at the end, I’m happy.
“When you have a chance to go for the break, you have to be there because against him you only get the chance once or twice.”
Isner, the Auckland champion in 2010 and 2014, sent down 28 aces to add to his ATP Tour record tally, which has now surpassed 14,000 aces over a 17-year career.
The American Eubanks won 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) against Frenchman Humbert, who was champion when the tournament was last staged in 2020.
Wednesday features the first appearance of Norwegian world number three Casper Ruud, who received a first-round bye.
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