Super win over top 100 player for Ajeet Rai

Ajeet Rai has notched up a career best win to reach the second round of qualifying for the men’s ASB Classic in Auckland. The 23-year-old wildcard has beaten Japan’s Taro Daniel ranked 92 in the world 7-5, 0-6,6-3 and will face either Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro or Germany’s Daniel Altmaier for a place in the main draw.

“Yeah, it was huge” Rai said. “I just played a good match and I'm super grateful for even the opportunity.”

“I’ve got a very good team around me of coaches with Chris Bint and my dad and my physio and Emily and I’m just looking after everything I can control and the rest seems to be taking care of itself.” Rai said.

KP Pannu has been drawn against French star Richard Gasquet in the first round of the singles.

Meanwhile Michael Venus and his new partner Jamie Murray are through to the final at the ATP 250 tournament in Adelaide. The fourth seeds have beaten Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tomislav Brkic and Gonzalo Escobar.

Venus and Murray are fourth seeds for Auckland and play Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow in the first round. Wildcards Rai and Finn Reynolds face top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic and Kiwi Artem Sitak and American Alex Lawson will face second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.