The ASB Classic's top players are dropping like flies in the first round, as Tuesday saw two former champions and two top seeds eliminated in their tournament openers.
As Cyclone Hale forced the entirety of the second day's play inside, fans weren't present to see some of the biggest upsets of this year's tournament - so far.
Two-time winner John Isner's return to Stanley Street was ended by unseeded Gregoire Barrere, as the first major upset of the day, in an encounter that lasted three sets.
After dropping the opening set in a tiebreaker, Barrere levelled in the second - which also needed a tiebreak to decide.
Forcing a third, Barrere broke Isner's serve twice, taking the third set 6-3 to advance.
The 28-year-old will face countryman Constant Lestienne in the second round on Wednesday.
Arriving in Auckland as the defending champion after his victory in 2020, France's Ugo Humbert would have fancied his chances against American Christopher Eubanks, who advanced to the main draw as a qualifier.
But with a tiebreak win in each set, 26-year-old Eubanks inflicted the second shock of the day, with a 7-6, 7-6 win to end Humbert's title defence prematurely.
Eubanks will return to court on Wednesday, where he'll face David Goffin in the second round. Goffin also advanced to the second round courtesy of an upset, after he defeated Alexander Bublik on Monday.
In the day's penultimate encounter, seventh seed Sebastian Baez of Argentina was stopped by the unseeded Ben Shelton, who advanced in straight sets.
Taking on the tournament's eighth seed, Shelton took the first set in a tiebreak, before completely outclassing Baez in the second.
Shelton, 20, broke Baez's serve three times on his way to a comprehensive 6-1 victory, and earn a second-round encounter against France's Quentin Halys, to be played on Wednesday.
