AUCKLAND, Jan 8: Chile’s double Olympic champion Nicolas Massu advanced to the second round of the Auckland Open with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over New Zealand qualifier G.D. Jones as persistent rain prevented much of Tuesday’s play.

Only three matches were completed in the morning before the weather stopped any further play and 21 matches, including six first round singles, are scheduled for Wednesday.

Jones, the first local qualifier to make the first round of the tournament since 1979, battled gamely but produced too many unforced errors against claycourt specialist Massu, who was a former top-10 player.

Massu broke in the ninth game of the first set, then twice again in the second to run out a comfortable winner.

He will meet the winner of the match between Finland’s 2006 champion Jarkko Nieminen and Belgium’s Xavier Malisse.

Seventh-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber also managed to avoid the wet weather and converted all five break points he created to beat Michael Russell of the US 7-5, 6-2, while Argentine Sergio Roitman beat Czech Lukas Rosol 6-2, 7-5.

First-round results: 7-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat Michael Russell (US) 7-5, 6-2; Nicolas Massu (Chile) beat G.D. Jones (New Zealand) 6-4, 6-2; Sergio Roitman (Argentina) beat Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic) 6-2, 7-5.—Reuters