First round action was completed on Tuesday at the Brisbane International with a few big names in action, headlined by one of the most anticipated first round battles featuring a Brisbane debutant. The round of sixteen field is now set, so let’s take a look back at what happened on day three at the Brisbane International.

Results

There was one match that everyone was excited for on Tuesday, as fifth seed Rafael Nadal made his Brisbane debut. The former world number one was impressive in his first match of 2017, snapping a two-match losing streak to Alexandr Dolgopolov by overpowering the Ukrainian with a 6-3, 6-3 victory. Check out the full recap here. In the second round, Nadal will take on Mischa Zverev. The German dealt another blow to the home crowd, sending Australian wildcard Alex De Minaur packing by the same 6-3, 6-3 score as Nadal.

Earlier in the day, sixth seed Lucas Pouille got his season underway with a wild first round victory over countryman Gilles Simon. Pouille, who is looking to continue his climb up the ATP rankings after his breakout in 2016, got off to a nightmarish start, surrendering his first three service games and falling behind 5-0, only to rally and force a tiebreak. He would take the opening set despite having to save two set points (one at 2-5, one in the tiebreak). The pair exchanged a pair of breaks in the second set before Pouille, after saving two set points at 4-5, took the match in a tiebreak.

Lucas Pouille hits a forehand volley during his first round win. Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Lucas Pouille hits a forehand volley during his first round win. Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The Americans suffered mixed fates on Tuesday, as veteran Sam Querrey was upset while 20-year-old qualifier Jared Donaldson scored a win. Querrey’s normally reliable serve fell flat in his match with Diego Schwartzman, who broke five times in the 6-2, 6-4 victory. Schwartzman will play top seed and defending champion Milos Raonic in the second round. Donaldson leveled his career head-to-head with veteran Gilles Muller, breaking the Luxembourger three times, including the opening game of the match, on his way to a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

After having to wait overnight to complete their match, Viktor Troicki booked his spot in the second round with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Yoshihito Nishioka. Sam Groth rounds out the round of sixteen field after scoring a tight three-set victory over Pierre Hugues-Herbert. Groth rode his monster serve, which was broken twice in the match but never in the third set, as he scored a late break in the third to seal the 6-3, 5-7, 7-5.

The second round gets underway tomorrow with a star-studded lineup, led by four of the top eight seeds, including the 2017 season openers for second seed Stan Wawrinka and third seed Kei Nishikori

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About the author
Pete Borkowski
Tennis has always been my obsession. What better way to channel that obsession than writing about it? After 18 months of blogging with Sportsblog.com as the writer of A Fan Obsesseds blog, all the while completing my Bachelors in history and French, I joined VAVEL so that I can better share my love and knowledge of tennis with the world.