Norrie wins but Raducanu to miss another exhibition
Written by I Dig SportsBritish number one Cameron Norrie made a winning start at the Auckland Classic and Jack Draper produced a stunning comeback to progress in Adelaide.
Norrie, runner-up last year in the city where he grew up, defeated Frenchman Luca Van Assche 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-1.
Draper survived two match points to beat Miomir Kecmanovic in three sets - but Dan Evans lost to Alexander Bublik.
Meanwhile, in pre-Australian Open exhibition matches, Andy Murray lost to Marin Cilic and Emma Raducanu withdrew.
Raducanu, who had pulled out of a charity match in Melbourne on Tuesday, decided the following day that she would no longer play 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva at the Kooyong Classic on Thursday as she continues to feel some soreness in her first weeks back on tour.
That is not expected to affect the 2021 US Open champion's participation at the Australian Open, where she is set to make her Grand Slam return after missing much of 2023 following ankle and wrist surgeries.
At the Kooyong Classic, former world number one Murray was defeated 6-3 7-5 by Croatia's former US Open champion Cilic as the Scot's losing start to the year continued.
Murray, 36, was beaten in the opening round of the Brisbane International earlier this month and told BBC Sport a fortnight ago that this year could be his final one on the tour if it proved to be as challenging as the end to last season.
The three-time Grand Slam champion, who won just two matches in his final five events of last year, will face 2020 US champion Dominic Thiem in another exhibition match on Thursday.
There were wins for Britons Harriet Dart, Francesca Jones and Oliver Crawford in Australian Open qualifying - but Heather Watson and Jan Choinski saw their hopes of competing at the first major of the year ended.
The draw for the 2024 Australian Open takes place in Melbourne on Thursday (02:00 GMT).