A big night for Kiwis around the world

Michael Venus and Marcus Daniell both have difficult second round doubles assignments at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome tonight.

Daniell and his Austrian partner Philipp Oswald are second match on court four against the second seeded Croatians Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic who have been the inform team in the world so far this year. They have won Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and Miami and reached the final last week in Madrid, while the won the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai and reached the Australian Open semi-finals.

Venus and his Australian partner John Peers meet the Australian Open champions, third seeded Croatian Ivan Dodig and Slovakia’s Filip Polasek.

Artem Sitak and Aussie partner Marc Polmans play their quarter final at the Helibronn Challenger against Dutchman Sander Arends and India’s Divij Sharan.

Paige Hourigan is into the second round of singles at her second ITF US $25,000 tournament in Salinas in Ecuador. She plays wild card Meli Reasco.

And Erin Routliffe and her Indonesian partner Aldila Sutjiadi play their second round doubles match tomorrow at the ITF US $100,000 tournament in Bonita Springs in Florida. They are up against US wildcards Robin Montgomery and Ashlyn Krueger.