Half the seeds lost in the opening round of the $50,000 Royal Lahaina Challenger this week on Maui. That tells you all you need to know about the irreverent nature of the USTA Pro Circuit, where tennis players go to grow up, heal up or — this week — try to beat guys from Hawaii Pacific University.

HPU sophomore Thibaud Berland, from France, took out Alex Kuznetsov in straight sets in Tuesday’s opening round. Kuznetsov is ranked 140th in the world. Berland is just starting his collegiate career for the Sea Warriors, ranked fifth in NCAA Division II.

"I am surprised," HPU coach Hendrik Bode admitted. "I knew he (Berland) was a great player, I’d seen his results and seen him play, but for him to win was definitely a surprise. … No player in Division II or even Division I has beaten someone ranked 140 in the world 6-4, 6-1."

Last year, HPU All-American Petr Michnev upset Denis Zivkovic — just back from the Australian Open — in the first round. This year Michnev, a Czech ranked second in NCAA D-II, fell to 93rd-ranked Bradley Klahn in singles. But Michnev and Berland teamed to shock the second-seeded doubles team of James Cerretani and Adil Shamasdin in a third-set super-tiebreaker in the first round. Those two are both ranked in doubles’ top 150.

Michnev earned his spot in the tournament by winning a Hawaii major last year. Berland grabbed his by reaching the final at this month’s wild-card tournament, which was the first day of HPU’s spring practice after a monthlong break.

Bode has brought his team to the past three Challengers in Hawaii, where the USTA has been hosting Pro Circuit events since 2000. Andy Roddick beat James Blake in the 2001 final at Waikoloa. Blake and Robby Ginepri won the next two years and Go Soeda — who lost to Andy Murray at the Australian Open on Tuesday — the last two.

"I want them to understand that they are really good players and can stick with any level of play," Bode says. "To understand tennis is not magic. All these players here are extremely good and extremely solid players, but there is no special drink that makes them good. It’s just hard work and consistency, and they could play at that level too."

Most of these guys have been where Berland and Michnev are. Klahn was the 2010 NCAA champion. He is seeded third in singles on Maui after leading the Pro Circuit money list last year. About a week after falling to Grigor Dimitrov in Melbourne, Klahn and Mitchell Krueger ousted former HPU All-Americans Mikael Maatta and Jan Tribler in the first round of doubles on Maui. On Thursday, Klahn and Krueger ended Berland and Michnev’s run in the quarterfinals, a few hours after Denys Molchanov beat Berland in second-round singles.

Rong Ma, who played for Brigham Young-Hawaii, also lost in the first round of doubles. HPU sophomore Jaume Martinez-Vich, a Spaniard ranked sixth in D-II, lost in three sets in the final round of qualifying.