The New Zealand wildcard Michael Venus has been beaten in the first round of singles at the ASB Classic men's tennis tournament in Auckland.
Michael Venus Photo: Photosport
Venus was beaten in straight sets 6-2 6-1 by 5th seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain.
Venus and his partner Raven Klassen of South Africa, the second seeds, play their first round men's doubles match this evening, taking on fellow New Zealander Artem Sitak and the Netherland's Wesley Koolhof.
Meanwhile former Australian Open champion and world No.1 Germany's Angelique Kerber has saved two match points to set up a blockbuster second-round date with Venus Williams at the Sydney tennis International, but US Open champion Sloane Stephens' preparations for the Australian Open hit a speed bump when she was bundled out of the tournament with a first round loss.
And three-times grand slam champion Britain's Andy Murray has undergone hip surgery but remains optimistic about his chances of returning in time for Wimbledon.
The 30-year-old, who has not played a competitive match for six months and last week withdrew from the Australian Open, posted an update on Facebook.
"Today I underwent successful right hip surgery at the St Vincent Hospital in Melbourne," Murray said.
"I'd like to thank Dr John O'Donnell and all of the staff for looking after me. I look forward to returning to competitive tennis during the grasscourt season.
"Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes and support over the last few days. I'll come back from this."
Murray, though, accepts he will have to reduce his workload on court.
"I'm certainly not going to be putting in the same amount of tournaments and effort to try to get to No. 1," he told British media. "I'll certainly be more considered in the amount of tournaments I play, even though I play a conservative schedule anyway in comparison to most of the players on the tour.
"I'll be playing a reduced schedule, and then focusing more on trying to win major events and big tournaments rather than trying to achieve certain ranking goals."
Murray said he can get himself back to "95 per cent of my best."
"I believe that's enough to compete at the highest level," he added. "No question."
Murray, who ended 2016 as world No.1, has slipped to 19th in the rankings.
-RNZ/Reuters
