The Monte Carlo Masters kicked off with two-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas advancing to the second round after Laslo Djere retired with an injury during the second set. Tsitsipas, who won the title in 2021 and 2022, was leading 6-3, 3-2 when Djere had to pull out with an unspecified injury. This early exit for Djere allowed Tsitsipas to move on to face either Nicolas Jarry or Tomas Etcheverry in the next round.
Ninth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov had a comfortable win over local player Valentin Vacherot, targeting his opponent’s weaker backhand and winning 7-5, 6-2. The Bulgarian veteran is looking to capture his second title of the year and will face either Matteo Berrettini or Miomir Kecmanovic in the following round. On the other hand, Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime displayed a strong performance, defeating Italian qualifier Luca Nardi 6-2, 6-3 with six aces and not conceding a break point. However, tougher competition awaits Auger-Aliassime in the second round against third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, whom he holds a 3-2 career record against.
Several other players secured victories in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters. Alexei Popyrin of Australia set up a clash with defending champion Andrey Rublev after a hard-fought win against French qualifier Corentin Moutet. Ugo Humbert rallied to beat Federico Coria, while Karen Khachanov saved two set points to overcome Britain’s Cameron Norrie in a match featuring nine breaks of serve. Sebastian Ofner of Austria will face fifth-seeded Alexander Zverev in the next round after defeating Britain’s Dan Evans. Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal staged a comeback to set up a meeting with seventh-seeded Holger Rune, last year’s runner-up.
As the Monte Carlo Masters progresses, all eyes are on the top players in the tournament. Novak Djokovic, the top-ranked Serb, is aiming for his third title in Monte Carlo but hasn’t made it past the quarterfinals since 2015. With Rafael Nadal out due to injury, second-ranked Jannik Sinner is emerging as a strong contender, coming off three titles in 2024, including the Australian Open and the Miami Open. The presence of rising stars like Carlos Alcaraz and established champions like Daniil Medvedev promises exciting matches ahead. With the French Open just around the corner, the Monte Carlo Masters serves as a crucial warm-up for players looking to make an impact on the clay-court season.
The first round of the Monte Carlo Masters set the stage for thrilling matches and surprising upsets. As the tournament progresses, fans can expect to see intense battles on the clay courts as players vie for supremacy in one of the premier events leading up to the French Open. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as the action unfolds in Monte Carlo.
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