Kiwi players fight against higher ranked opponents
- editor59343
- 11 hours ago
- 1 min read
Valuable experienced for two New Zealanders players in qualifying at the ASB Classic both facing higher-ranked opponents but taking positives from the challenge.
Anton Shepp was beaten 7-5 6-2 by Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, a player ranked 82nd in the world and formerly 21st, while Isaac Becroft went down 6-3 6-2 to France’s Hugo Gaston, who’s at 94 in the world.
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Shepp mixed up his game against the big-hitting German and even serve and volleyed on a second serve - he won the point.
There were also a number of long rallies in the sun on the centre court which had the New Zealand keeping pace but the experience of Struff told in the end.
Becroft’s match against Gaston posed a very different challenge, with the French left-hander offering little rhythm.
In the main draw singles James Watt with an ATP singles ranking of 705 will face American Jenson Brooksby who is current ranked 49th.
The doubles draw will feature Watt with a doubles ranking of 87 and Finn Reynolds 89th against Sander Gille of Belgium and Sem Verbeek (the Netherlands).
Also in doubles is Taranaki pro Ajeet Rai teaming with the very experienced Jean-Julien Rojer (Netherlands) against top seed Yuki Bhambri (India) and Andre Goransson (Sweden)