DANIEL Evans is already through to the quarter Finals of the Adelaide International after a straight sets win over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik in the sole second round match yesterday. Evans had already cruised past Argentinian Juan Ignacio Londero, while Bublik caused the upset of Day 1, triumphing over the highest ranked seed with a first round match in American Taylor Fritz. Evans is a genuine sleeper in the Australian Open, and presuming third seed Russian Andrey Rublev defeats American Sam Querrey in their second round match today, it sets up a tantalising quarter final matchup.

There were just four matches played to complete Round 1 today in Adelaide, with seventh seed, Jan-Lennard Struff cruising through against Italian lucky loser Salvatore Caruso, 6-4 6-2. Struff was remarkably the only seed to survive Round 1 and joins the top four seeds who enter the draw in Round 2. In other games, Australian Alex Bolt survived a second set fightback from French lucky loser, Stephane Robert, winning in three sets 6-4 2-6 6-0 to set up a date with Struff in the Round of 16, while Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas downed Australian Jordan Thompson, and American qualifier Tommy Paul knocked off Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene.

In the match of the day, Evans toppled Bublik 7-5 6-2 with a first serve percentage of 70, while winning 83 per cent of his first serves despite not producing an ace. He also attack the Kazakhstan player’s second serve, winning a whopping 75 per cent off it, and managed to convert four breaks from seven opportunities while Bublik could only manage one from three. In the end it was a convincing win from Evans, who knocked off top 20 players David Goffin and Alex de Minaur in the ATP Cup, with the former defeating Rafael Nadal, and the latter taking him to three sets.

Fans will not have to wait long for some huge clashes with Rublev taking on Querrey from the start of play on centre court, while Australian wildcard James Duckworth tries his luck against second seed Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the night game. Elsewhere, fourth seed Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta clashes with Jeremy Chardy, and Ramos-Vinolas looks to make the most of de Minaur’s withdrawal by facing lucky loser and countryman Jaume Munar. In the other matches, Laslo Djere takes on South African qualifier Lloyd Harris, Argentinian Pablo Cuevas faces Paul, while Struff and Bolt lock horns in the late game.

Day 2 Results:

R32:

[7] J. Struff (GER) defeated S. Caruso (ITA) 6-4 6-2
[Q] T. Paul (USA) defeated A. Bedene (SLO) 6-4 6-4
A. Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) defeated J. Thompson (AUS) 6-4 6-7 6-3
[WC] A. Bolt (AUS) defeated [LL] S. Robert (FRA) 6-4 2-6 6-0

R16:

D. Evans (GBR) defeated A. Bublik (KAZ) 7-5 6-2