REIGNING title holder, American Tennys Sandgren began his title defence with the most comprehensive win on Day 1 at the ASB Classic, defeating New Zealand wildcard, Michael Venus 6-4 6-3. In just over an hour and 10 minutes, Sandgren broke three times and produced a whopping 15 aces to his opponent’s two on his way to a convincing straight sets win. With 250 ranking points on the line, Sandgren has to win the Auckland event to avoid dropping down the ATP Tour Rankings. He faces a tough second round match against fourth seed and American countryman, John Isner who had a bye in the first round.

The day was not as sweet for fellow American, Frances Tiafoe who bowed out in three sets to Swedish qualifier Mikael Ymer, 6-4 5-7 6-1. Ymer moved through to the second round to face the sixth seed in Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz who downed Italian Lorenzo Sonego. Fifth seed Benoit Paire also progressed to the second round with a somewhat shaky 6-4 2-6 6-4 win over Italian qualifier, Jannik Sinner. Paire now takes on Brazilian qualifier, Thiago Monteiro after he upset out-of-sorts Brit, Cameron Norrie 7-6 6-2 on Day 1. In the other completed match, France’s Ugo Humbert moved through with a win over Norway’s Casper Ruud, 7-6 2-6 6-3. Humbert will face the winner of today’s match between eighth seed Radu Albot, and Marco Cecchinato.

It could be an all-Canadian second round encounter at the ASB Classic with second seed Denis Shapovalov awaiting the winner of Portugal’s Joao Sousa and Davis Cup teammate and qualifier, Vasek Pospisil. The ageing Canadian is on the comeback trail after injury and impressed at last year’s Cup making him a danger to any opponent. Also awaiting an opponent is tournament top seed, Fabio Fognini with the Italian guaranteed to play a Spaniard with Feliciano Lopez and Pablo Andujar going at it today. Australia’s sole tournament hope John Millman begins his campaign ahead of the Australian Open with a clash against American qualifier, Michael Mmoh. The winner of that game faces a rested Karen Khachanov with the third seed Russian fresh off a solid ATP Cup campaign. In the final two matches of today, seventh seed Frenchman Adrian Mannarino faces veteran Italian Andreas Seppi, while Spanish wildcard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will hope to upset Brit, Kyle Edmund with the winners of those games set to face off in the Round of 16.

Day 1 Results:

[5] Benoit Paire (FRA) defeated Jannik Sinner (ITA) 6-4 2-6 6-4
[6] Hubert Hurkacz (USA) defeated Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 7-5 6-3
Ugo Humbert (FRA) defeated Casper Ruud (NOR) 7-6 2-6 6-3
[Q] Thiago Monteiro (BRA) defeated Cameron Norrie (GBR) 7-6 6-2
Tennys Sandgren (USA) defeated [WC] Michael Venus (NZL) 6-4 6-3
[Q] Mikael Ymer (SWE) defeated Frances Tiafoe (USA) 6-4 5-7 6-1