If you were expecting a "business as usual" Wednesday in the tennis world, you haven't been watching the ASB Classic. Today, January 14, 2026, was basically a wrecking ball for the top seeds. While some of the big names took care of business, the real story is about the guys nobody saw coming.
Honestly, the biggest headline of the day is Fabian Marozsan.
The Hungarian just knocked out the number two seed, Casper Ruud, in straight sets (6-4, 6-4). If you’ve followed Marozsan’s career, you know he has this weird, incredible knack for becoming a "giant killer" out of nowhere—remember Alcaraz in Rome? Today in Auckland, he did it again. He broke Ruud in the very first game and basically never looked back. Ruud only managed a single break point the entire match. It was clinical, and honestly, a bit of a reality check for Ruud as he heads toward Melbourne.
Who won the men's tennis today at the ASB Classic?
Auckland was the center of the universe for the ATP today. Ben Shelton, the top seed and world number 8, managed to avoid the upset bug, but it wasn't exactly a walk in the park. He took down Francisco Comesana 7-5, 6-4. Shelton had to save three set points in the first set. One routine backhand miss from Comesana at 4-5 was the turning point; Shelton held, broke in the next game, and finally took control.
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But look at these other results from the "City of Sails":
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard pulled off a stunner against Cameron Norrie. The young Frenchman saved a match point at 4-5 in the third set and won it in a tiebreak (4-6, 6-3, 7-6).
- Luciano Darderi took out Alejandro Tabilo in three sets (1-6, 7-5, 6-3).
- Marcos Giron swept past Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-4.
- Sebastian Baez (the 7th seed) absolutely demolished Jenson Brooksby 7-5, 6-0. That second set was a bagel nobody saw coming given Brooksby's grit.
- Eliot Spizzirri—the qualifier—kept his dream run alive by beating the 8th seed Nuno Borges 7-6, 6-4.
Success for the Aussies in Adelaide and Melbourne
Over at the Adelaide International, Aleksandar Vukic is currently the man of the hour. He moved into the quarterfinals by beating Tomas Machac in two tight tiebreak sets, 7-6(3), 7-6(5). He's now slated to face Tommy Paul in what should be a massive QF match.
The mood in Adelaide was a bit dampened, though, by the news of Thanasi Kokkinakis. After a gutsy win over Sebastian Korda earlier, the hometown favorite had to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. It’s a huge blow for "Kokk" and puts his Australian Open status in serious doubt.
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Meanwhile, at Melbourne Park, the Australian Open qualifying rounds are reaching a fever pitch. Dane Sweeny is the name on everyone's lips today. The world number 182 defeated Jerome Kim 6-4, 6-4 to reach the final round of qualifying. The crowd at Kia Arena was so loud you could supposedly hear them from the other side of the park.
Other qualifying winners today included:
- Mackenzie McDonald (the 6th seed) who beat Hugo Grenier 7-6, 6-1.
- Zachary Svajda (the 29th seed) who took out Jurij Rodionov 6-1, 6-4.
- Arthur Gea who beat Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-2, 6-3.
- Lukas Klein who survived a three-set battle against Daniel Merida Aguilar.
What this means for the Australian Open draw
While the matches were playing out, the official seedings for the Australian Open were released. Carlos Alcaraz is your top seed, followed by Jannik Sinner at number two. Alexander Zverev sits at three, and the 10-time champion Novak Djokovic is the fourth seed.
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This seeding is actually a big deal because it means Djokovic could potentially face Alcaraz or Sinner as early as the semifinals. The draw happens tomorrow, and after seeing how guys like Marozsan and Mpetshi Perricard are playing right now, none of the top guys are going to want to see them in their section of the bracket.
Key takeaways and what's next
If you're tracking who won the men's tennis today to figure out your bracket for next week, keep an eye on the "underdogs." The gap between the top 10 and the top 60 is feeling smaller than ever.
- Watch the qualifiers: Players like Dane Sweeny and Eliot Spizzirri are playing with zero pressure and massive momentum. They are the "landmines" in the first round of a Grand Slam.
- Monitor injuries: Check the news on Kokkinakis tomorrow. If he pulls out of Melbourne, it opens up a lucky loser spot and shifts the dynamic for whichever seed was supposed to play him.
- Keep an eye on Ben Shelton: He’s the only top seed in Auckland who didn't look vulnerable today, even if he had to fight through those set points.
The quarterfinals in Auckland and Adelaide start tomorrow. You’ll want to watch the Marozsan vs. Spizzirri match—a battle of the giant killers. Also, keep an eye on the official Australian Open draw ceremony, as that will determine the path to the trophy for Alcaraz and Djokovic.