Live coverage has concluded.
10:36pm
For the second time today, a seeded player is out in straight sets.
JJ Wolf has knocked out eighth seed Adrian Mannarino, after David Goffin accounted for fifth seed Alexander Bublik.
That'll wrap up play for tonight - but we'll be back again tomorrow for the second half of the first round!
Mannarino - 4 6
Wolf - 6 7
10:34pm
Mannarino gets out to a 3-1 lead in the tiebreak, but Wolf pulls back two points to make it 3-3.
Wolf then wins the next two points for a 5-3 lead, and then 6-3 as Mannarino hits the ball out.
Three match points for Wolf! Mannarino saves the first, two up Wolf's sleeve.
Mannarino hits it out, but challenges the call - and it's wide! Wolf marches on at the expense of the eighth seed!
10:25pm
Can Wolf break? He can't.
Mannarino holds serve and we're going to a tiebreak.
10:20pm
Wolf holds serve to go 6-5 up. Mannarino will serve to avoid defeat, and force tiebreak.
10:17pm
Mannarino gets Wolf to deuce against the serve, two points away from taking the second set.
Wolf manages to hold, but Mannarino has the chance at the other end.
But Wolf goes 0-40 up, and has three break points. Mannarino saves one, but loses the second to make it 5-5.
10:05pm
Mannarino holds serve again to go 5-3 up, leaving Wolf serving to stay in the set.
10:00pm
Both players hold serve, so Mannarino keeps his one game lead.
9:53pm
Mannarino breaks again, and takes a 3-2 lead! He's now broken the last two games of Wolf's serve.
Can he make the most of it, though?
9:45pm
Wolf smashes his racquet in frustration, even though he's up in his service game?
He wins the next two points, and moves back to a one-game lead at 2-1.
9:43pm
And Wolff breaks right back! We're level at the start of the second.
9:38pm
Wolf will serve to start the second set. Mannarino gets to break point at 30-40, but Wolf aces him to save it.
Deuce, and Mannarino gets a second break point, as Wolf double faults to give him the opening game.
9:31pm
Wolf wins his service game, and then goes 15-30 up against Mannarino's.
Wolf takes the next point, and gives himself two chances to win the set. Mannarino saves the first one - and the second.
Back to deuce. Wolf wins advantage for his second set point - and this time he converts it!
Wolf takes the first!
9:20pm
Wolf holds serve to go 4-3 up, and then takes Mannarino to deuce in the next game - and has advantage.
Break point for Wolf, which he loses. Mannarino holds his nerve to win the next two, and hold serve.
9:08pm
Mannarino is made to work to hold serve, but does to deny Wolf his first break.
8:56pm
Both players are holding serve in the first set, who'll blink first.
8:45pm
We're underway, and Wolf holds serve to get us going.
8:35pm
One singles match to come, eighth seed Adrian Mannarino faces off against JJ Wolf.
Pannu - 3 1
Gasquet - 6 6
8:28pm
Three match points for Gasquet, and he aces Pannu to march into the second round.
A spirited showing for the Kiwi, but plenty to learn at this level.
8:26pm
Gasquet has break point in Pannu's service game, and converts it.
He'll now serve for the match.
8:21pm
Gasquet's untroubled in the next game, and takes it without dropping a point.
8:19pm
Pannu goes 40-15 up with his serve, only for Gasquet to bring it back to deuce again.
Pannu smashes home a winner at the net for another advantage, but Gasquet wins the next two for break point.
Gasquet claims the next point and breaks for the first time this set.
8:12pm
Gasquet holds serve again, and goes 2-1 up in the second.
8:09pm
Pannu responds and storms to a 40-0 lead, but Gasquet brings it back to 40-30.
Make that deuce, as Pannu finds the sideline. Gasquet wins the next for advantage and break point, and Pannu sends down an ace to bring us back to deuce.
Gasquet hits the net, and Pannu now has advantage of his own. Gasquet, though, wins another point - so we're back to deuce.
But Pannu comes back for advantage, and then wins it! We're equal in the second!
8:01pm
Gasquets wastes no time, and takes the opening game. Can Pannu hold at the other end?
7:59pm
Pannu remeges for the second set, where Gasquet will get us underway.
7:56pm
Slight delay to the second set, as Pannu has to leave the court to change his shirt.
Gasquet keeps himself busy in the meantime.
7:51pm
Gasquet has one set point, and Pannu fails to clear the net to lose the first set 6-3.
7:46pm
Gasquet to serve, looking for a 5-3 lead. And he does just that.
Pannu will now serve to try and stay in the first set.
7:42pm
Gasquet has two break points after going 15-40 up against serve. Pannu saves the first one, and the second! Another deuce.
Gasquet smashes home the winner for advantage and break point, and then beats Pannu at the net for the first break of the game.
7:37pm
Gasquet levels at 3-3 with a convincing service game. Who'll be the first to break serve?
7:33pm
Pannu to serve. Gasquet wins two points to be 15-30 up, but Pannu comes back for a 40-30 advantage.
Pannu goes too long, and the ball is called out - but he challenges. It's comfortably out, so we're at deuce for the first time.
Gasquet lobs Pannu and has advantage, and break point. Pannu responds with an ace, and we're back to deuce.
Pannu then wins the next point and has advantage of his own, but can't convert it. Back to deuce. Pannu wins another point and gets back to advantage, and then wins it at the net!
The Kiwi leads 3-2.
7:26pm
Gasquet holds his own serve at the other end, and levels at 2-2.
The Kiwi will not have it easy tonight.
7:23pm
And just like that, we're ready to go again! Passing shower indeed.
Pannu leads 40-30, and takes his chance to go 2-1 up in the first!
7:19pm
Pannu is getting into it! He goes 40-15 up in the first set, and gives it the "come on!" to the crowd.
Gasquet brings it back to 40-30, but it looks like it's started to rain!
Fingers crossed it's a passing shower.
7:13pm
Gasquet shows his class though, and keeps Pannu to love to hold serve.
7:11pm
Brilliant from Pannu! The Kiwi holds serve right off the bat against the former world No.7, and takes a 1-0 lead in the opening set!
7:08pm
Pannu will open the first set, can he hold serve?
7:00pm
Both players make their way onto court, big cheers for Pannu.
He'll definitely have the crowd's support tonight!
6:54pm
Right then - we're almost ready to get underway in the evening session.
Pannu up against Gasquet.
5:30pm
That's about it for the day session, then.
There's a couple of matches to come tonight, with Kiwi Kiranpal Pannu up against France's Richard Gasquet, before eighth seed Adrian Mannarino finishes the day off against JJ Wolf.
Play won't get back underway before 7pm, so join us then.
Brooksby - 6 6 6
Fognini - 7 1 3
5:20pm
No trouble for Brooksby. He breaks Fognini for the sixth time today, and takes the third set.
The American advances into the second round, and Fognini suffers an early exit.
5:17pm
Brooksby races out to a 40-0 lead in the eighth. Fognini gets one back to make it 40-15, but Brooksby wins the next point to hold.
Fognini will now serve to stay in the match.
5:13pm
Brooksby's had four break points against Fognini's serve, but hasn't been able to convet any of them.
He has a fifth, and this time he does win it! Brooksby goes 4-3 up in the third, and will serve to make it 5-3.
5:07pm
Fognini holds to go 3-2 up, but Brooksby does the same to level it up, again.
5:00pm
Brooksby holds serve, and closes the third set to 2-2.
4:58pm
Elsewhere, Kiwi Artem Sitak has been knocked out of the men's doubles.
He and partner Alex Lawson have fallen to a 7-6, 6-2 loss to the pair of Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers.
Kiranpal Pannu is the last Kiwi to take the court today, he'll face Richard Gasquet at 7pm.
4:56pm
And now Brooksby breaks Fognini's serve. This could be a thriller.
4:53pm
Fognini has two break points in the second game. Brooksby saves the first, but loses the second to go 0-2 down.
Can Fognini hold for a 3-0 lead?
4:48pm
Fognini holds to open the third set with relative ease.
4:42pm
Brooksby has set point at 40-30, but Fognini wins it to take the game to deuce.
Brooksby wins the next for advantage and his second set point, and makes full use of it.
The American takes the second, and we're going to a decider.
4:36pm
Fognini holds, but Brooksby will serve to take the second set regardless.
4:31pm
Brooksby has roared out to a 5-0 lead, now Fognini will serve to try and stay in the set.
4:24pm
Fognini has break point, but Brooksby saves it to take the game to deuce.
Fognini has a second break point, but again Brooksby saves, and wins the next point for his own advantage.
Brooksby converts his advantage, and goes 3-0 up in the second.
4:17pm
Brooksby then breaks Fognini's serve to go 2-0 up in the second! Can he make it 3-0 with his own service game?
4:11pm
Like he did in the first, Brooksby holds serve to open the second set.
4:05pm
Fognini has four set points up his sleeve, and only needs one to take the first set.
He came back from a break down to take the first.
3:58pm
Brooksby does hold - so we go to a first set tiebreak.
3:53pm
Fognini holds serve for a 6-5 lead.
Brooksby will need to win this game to force a tiebreak.
3:50pm
Fognini has break point, and converts to level the first set at 5-5!
Fognini will serve to try and make it 6-5.
3:44pm
Fognini holds serve to close the gap to 5-4, but Brooksby will serve for the set.
3:40pm
Both players hold serve again, so Brooksby takes a 5-3 lead.
Fognini will serve to save the first set.
3:31pm
Fognini has break point, but Brooksby saves to take his service game to deuce.
Brooksby holds his nerve to win his service, and go 4-2 up.
3:24pm
Brooksby breaks serve, and takes a 3-2 lead in the first set. He'll now serve to try and make it 4-2.
3:14pm
Brooksby holds serve at the other end, as does Fognini - who leads 2-1.
3:09pm
Fognini will serve fist, and he takes the first game with an ace.
How does Brooksby respond?
2:50pm
There's still plenty of action to come on centre court. Up next will be American Jenson Brooksby against Italy's Fabio Fognini.
Goffin - 6 6
Bublik - 3 4
2:48pm
Bublik takes a 30-0 lead in his service game, but Goffin comes back to bring it to deuce.
Goffin wins the first point, and has match point - which he converts.
Goffin wins in straight sets, and Bublik - the fifth seed - is out.
2:42pm
Bublik has two break points at 15-40, but Goffin saves the first one.
Bublik does convert his second, though, and can serve to make it 5-5.
2:37pm
Goffin has two more break points against Bublik's serve, and converts his first one to go 5-3 up in the second.
He'll now serve for the match.
2:33pm
But Goffin roars right back, holding serve, breaking Bublik and then holding again as he takes a 4-3 lead.
Goffin is two games away from knocking out the fifth seed!
2:24pm
Bublik has come roaring back after dropping the first set, and broken Goffin before holding his own serve for a 3-1 lead.
2:11pm
Both players hold serve to start the second set. Bublik was made to work for his one though, saving break point.
2:04pm - Goffin holds serve and breaks yet agin to take the first set 6-3. Are we about to lose our first seed of the week?
1:57pm - Goffin breaks straight back for 4-3, with serve to come.
1:54pm - Bublik takes advantage of two chances to break back and level at 3-3.
1:49pm - Bublik double-faults to drop service and hand Goffin a 3-2 lead with service to come.
On the outside court, Frenchmen Doumbia and Raboul have taken the first set 6-4 over Spaniards Martinez and Munar in doubles.
1:44pm - Still on serve in the first set, with Bublik leading 2-1 and Goffin serving...
1:37pm - Bublik holds serve in the opening game of the match for the early 1-0 lead.
1:33pm - Ranked 53rd, Goffin actually holds a 1-0 head-to-head advantage over his higher-ranked opponent (37th), with victory indoors at Montpellier in 2020, and has also won six titles to Bublik's one.
1:19pm - Lestienne draws first blood in the main singles draw, cruising past Cachin and into the second round, where he will meet the winner of Barrere v Isner.
Canstant Lestienne (France) beat Pedro Cachin (Argentina) 6-3 6-1
Next up on centrecourt, fifth seed Alexander Bublik faces Belgian David Goffin.
1:16pm - Lestienne breaks again for 5-1 and will now serve for the match against Cachin.
1:08pm - Cachin staves off three more breakpoints to hold serve and stay in the match, albeit 3-1 down in the second set.
12:59pm - Lestienne holds his opening service game of the second set and immediately breaks Cachin to stamp is dominance on the contest.
12:52pm - Lestienne takes advantage of three breakpoints to overcome Cachin's serve again and take the first set 6-3.
12:47pm - Cachin holds and then Lestienne also holds, which puts pressure on his opponent's serve to stay in the first set, now trailing 5-3.
12:40pm - Sure enough, Lestienne drops serve after that medical timeout and threatens to let his opponent back into a match he seemed to have under control, still leading 4-2.
12:33pm - Lestienne breaks Cachin again for a 4-1 lead in the first set, but is now facedown on the ground, receiving medical treatment on what looks like a left leg or back injury.
12:20pm - Lestienne holds his first service game and then breaks his opponent for an early 2-1 advantage in the first set.
Meanwhile, Kiwi Ajeet Rai has lost a 2h 45m battle to grab the final qualifying spot into the main draw, bowing to Brazilian Thiago Monteiro 7-6(5) 6-3 6-4, so just one local in the singles, with Kiranpaul Pannu scheduled on centrecourt this evening.
Next up on the outside court is a doubles match between Spaniards Martinez & Munar and Frenchmen Doumbia & Reboul, scheduled for 1pm.
12:12pm - Cachin holds serve in the opening game for an early lead over Lestienne.
12:06pm - Welcome to the start of today's play on centrecourt, where Cachin and Lestienne are warming up. The Argentinian is currently ranked 57th in the world, the Frenchman 65th, so very evenly matched for their first match of the year.
*****
Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the ASB Classic men's tournament at Auckland's Stanley Street.
After a chaotic women's tournament - dominated by rain, but ultimately taken out by American top seed Coco Gauff - attention now turns to the men's event, featuring French defending champion Ugo Humbert and top-seeded world No.3 Casper Ruud of Norway.
With the top four seeds - Ruud, Brit Cameron Norrie, and Argentinians Diego Schwartzman and Francisco Cerundolo - all receiving byes through the opening round, only two seeds will take the court on Monday.
Fifth-seeded Kazak Alexander Bublik takes on Belgian veteran David Goffin, while French journeyman Adrian Mannarino - a regular visitor to this tournament and seeded eighth this year - faces American JJ Wolf in the evening session.
Plenty of Kiwi interest today, with Ajeet Rai battling to stay alive in a suspended qualifying match against Brazilian Thiago Montiero, while NZ wildcard Kiranpal Pannu will play Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the main draw.
No conversation about the ASB Classic can take place without the weather forecast and today actually looks OK. You can see the Waitakere Ranges from the Newshub office, which is always a good sign, and the outlook is for partly cloudy, with a few showers.
Make the most of it, because tomorrow, we're destined for heavy rain.
Today's order of play is:
Centrecourt
Noon start
Constant Lestienne (France) v Pedro Cachin (Argentina)
David Goffin (Belgium) v 5-Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan)
Jenson Brooksby (USA) v Fabio Fognini (Italy)
7pm start
Richard Gasquet (France) v WC-Kiranpal Pannu (NZ)
8-Adrian Mannarino (France) v JJ Wolf (USA)
Grandstand Court
Noon start
Thiago Montiero (Brazil) v Ajeet Rai (NZ) - qualifying
1pm start
Pedro Martinez (Spain)/Jaume Munar (Spain) v Sadio Doumbia (France)/Fabien Reboul (France)
WC-Alex Lawson (USA)/Artem Sitak (NZ) v 2-Marcel Granollers (Spain)/Haracio Zeballos (Argentina)
Join us at noon for the scheduled start of play.
Ex-Kiwi Norrie hopes for hometown support as ASB Classic contender
By James Regan
ASB Classic men's second seed Cameron Norrie has set his sights on going one better than his runner-up finish in 2019.
NZ-raised Norrie has shot up the tennis world rankings since his last appearance at the tournament four years ago and despite now representing Great Britain, he hopes the local crowd will be right behind him.
"It's very special to be back in New Zealand," said the world No.14 on the courts he grew up playing on.
"Coming out to Manukau here, I think I played my first under-eights tournament here, seeing the club, it hasn't changed too much."
It's a far cry from the manicured lawns of Wimbledon, where Norrie was a semi-finalist last year.
Despite now playing under the British flag, Norrie still has strong ties to New Zealand - and unfinished business at the ASB Classic.
"[I'm] looking to go one better and win the title," he continued. "It's great to have my family here watching.
"My parents still live in Bucklands Beach."
As a result, Norrie hopes he'll be backed like a hometown favourite.
"I just want to show New Zealand really what I've got, and I think there's a lot of people in New Zealand tennis who know me and grew up coaching me, helping me.
"I think it's special for them to come and see me play."
Whether that's indoors or outdoors isn't a concern for Norrie, 27, but organisers hope for better weather than the rain that plagued the women's tournament.
"It's not a secret that we have struggled with the weather this week," said tournament director Nicolas Lamperin. "Any dry patches are greatly appreciated."
Lamperin looks forward to a strong men's field, with world No.3 Casper Ruud topping the bill.
"Two great seeds with Casper and Cameron," Lamperin continued. "There are some great first-round matches to be played and hopefully keep entertaining fans throughout the week."
Entertainment, a Kiwi connection and hopefully some more sunshine will kick off part two of the ASB Classic.
