The New Zealand Residential tennis championships had some bizarre twists in Auckland yesterday.
Three of the top four seeds in the women's draw turned up and cruised through the first round but the second seed did not show at all and the top seed in the men's drawappeared but had no one to play.
Second-seeded former international Ilke Gers, an Aucklander now living in Wellington, literally forgot what day the tournament started.
She did not realise she was meant to play, giving her opponent, Sarah Adams, of Waikato, a walkover into the second round.
That also means that fourth seed Dianne Hollands, who won the Auckland championships on Tuesday, will potentially have an easier semifinals opponent.
Top seed Shona Lee beat Manumea Durie, of Manawatu, in her first round match and will meet Wellington's Karina Bradnam while third seed Kairangi Vano beat Kate Shearer to set up a match against North Harbour Renata Hryckiewicz.
Hollands put away Alexia Barritt and faces Stacey Housley, of North Harbour.
Dan King-Turner, the men's top seed and New Zealand No 1, arrived on time for his match against Auckland's Rade Radinovich.
He waited around only to learn that Radinovich was sick at home. That let King-Turner to move into the second round without hitting a ball.
He will play North Harbour's Goran Gerdin in the second round.
Second seed Michael Venus also had a relatively easy time of it, beating David North in straight sets, while new Auckland champion Adam Thompson won his match without dropping a game and fourth seed Austen Childs put away Michael Bartlett in straight sets.
