IN a massive first day of action at Barcelona, the Round of 32 was confirmed following 16 matches in the opening round played across the clay. Among the winners in the Barcelona Open fantasy tennis tournament were three qualifiers and three wildcards, as well as former top 10 players, Kei Nishikori, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Fabio Fognini.

There was no shortage of classic contests with all bar four matches lasting the distance of three sets. Of the one-sided contests, Fognini knocked out Brit, Kyle Edmund 6-1 6-2 and Canadian Milos Raonic defeated Australian firebrand, Nick Kyrgios 6-4 6-3. Tsonga made his way through to the Round of 32 with a handy 6-2 7-6 win over Spanish veteran and qualifier, Feliciano Lopez, while Nishikori knocked out challenging German, Jan-Lennard Struff in two tiebreakers.

It was a fairly good day for Spanish competitors on home soil, with wildcard, Jaume Munar defeating the higher ranked John Isner in a come-from-behind win 1-6 6-4 6-1. Pablo Carreno Busta also had to fight back from a first set loss to win 5-7 6-2 6-2 over Slovenian qualifier, Aljaz Bedene, while Roberto Carballes Baena knocked off Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3 6-7 7-5. Another Spaniard in action was Albert Ramos-Vinolas who suffered defeat at the hands of clay court talent and Chilean qualifier, Nicolas Jarry 6-2 0-6 6-4.

There were plenty of talented top-end stars returning into form with strong performances including Andy Murray who defeated Fernando Verdasco 7-6 4-6 6-4, while Norway’s Casper Ruud and Argentina’s Guido Pella made their way through to the next round. A couple of qualifiers in Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics and Philipp Kohlschreiber also won through to the next round with wins. The remaining winners were American duo, Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka, and Bulgarian former top 20 player, Grigor Dimitrov.

In tomorrow’s Round of 32 action, eight matches take place with eighth seed Gael Monfils taking on Ruud, and Murray facing 10th seed Spaniard, Roberto Bautista Agut among the highlights. Also on court is top five players, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev, with the latter playing in possibly the match of the day against Nishikori.

ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

[WC] Jaume Munar (ESP) defeated John Isner (USA) 1-6 6-4 6-1
Taylor Fritz (USA) defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 5-7 6-3 6-2
Guido Pella (ARG) defeated Benoit Paire (FRA) 7-6 4-6 6-3
Kei Nishikori (JPN) defeated Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 7-6 7-6
Casper Ruud (NOR) defeated Alex de Minaur (AUS) 6-4 3-6 6-3
[WC] Andy Murray (GBR) defeated [Q] Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 7-6 4-6 6-4
Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated [Q] Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 5-7 6-2 6-2
[WC] Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) defeated Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 6-3 6-7 7-5
Milos Raonic (CAN) defeated [WC] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 6-4 6-3
[Q] Marton Fucsovics (HUN) defeated Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 1-6 6-1 6-0
[Q] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) defeated Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 7-5 3-6 6-3
[Q] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 6-2 0-6 6-4
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) defeated [Q] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-2 7-6
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) defeated Daniel Evans (GBR) 4-6 6-0 6-3
Reilly Opelka (USA) defeated Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 6-1 4-6 6-1
Fabio Fognini (ITA) defeated Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6-1 6-2