French qualifier Adrian Mannarino caused a shock in the Heineken Open in Auckland when he defeated fifth seed Juan Monaco 6-4 6-3.
Qualifier ousts fifth seed in Auckland
French qualifier Adrian Mannarino caused a shock in the first round of the Heineken Open in Auckland when he defeated fifth seed Juan Monaco 6-4 6-3.
The world number 80 was playing his eighth match in two weeks and it showed against an opponent who looked rusty on his first start of the year.
Mannarino played in three qualifying matches before losing to Mardy Fish in the first round in Brisbane last week, and had to win three matches again before earning the right to play Monaco.
However, this time the result was never in doubt as the 22-year-old left-hander booked his place in the second round, where he will play mentor Arnaud Clement.
The French veteran progressed after beating Belgian Xavier Malisse, a beaten finalist in Chennai on Sunday, 4-6 6-2 7-5.
Sixth seed David Nalbandian beat Italy's Fabian Fognini 7-6 6-4 in his first match of 2011, and will face Germany's Philipp Petzschner in the next round.
Thomaz Bellucci overcame a remarkable mid-match slump to defeat Michael Russell 6-4 6-7 7-5.
The seventh seeded Brazilian led 6-4 5-3 before crumbling as the veteran American reeled off seven straight games, going up two breaks in the decider.
However, Bellucci broke Russell in the fourth game and again two games later to level the set at 3-3.
He then gained the vital break in the 12th and final game but needed three match points to close out the match in two hours and 50 minutes.