The Russian Roman Safiullin He will be the first rival of world number 1 Novak Djokovic in the Monte Carlo Masters 1,000 after defeating the Mallorcan in the first round duel this Monday. Jaume Munar 7-5 and 6-1 in one hour 37 minutes.
The Spaniard, coming off two good games in the previous round, could not continue against an opponent he was facing for the first time. The first set was even and, despite taking a break, the Russian responded strongly. In the second he was overwhelmed to get the ticket for the second round where he will face Novak Djokovic this Tuesday.
World no. 12 Stefanos Tsitsipaschampion of Monte Carlo in the 2021 and 2022 editions, advanced to the second round after the withdrawal of Serbian Laslo Djere, whom he dominated 6-2, 3-2 before seeing the match cut short.
The tennis player from Athens will meet his next rival this Tuesday, to be decided in the South American duel between the Chilean Nicolás Jarry and the Argentine Tomás Martín Etcheverry. Along with top seed Novak Djokovic, Tsitsipas is the player with the most Monte Carlo singles titles in this edition of the tournament.
Ugo Humbert bounced back after losing the first set to defeat Federico Coria 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 and reach the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters this Monday.
Karen Khachanov also had to fight back to defeat Britain’s Cameron Norrie 7-5 and 7-6(3). The 15th-seeded Russian was broken twice in the first set and forced into a tiebreak in the second. Norrie broke serve twice in the second and at 6-5 up had two break points to win the set, but Khachanov responded with three straight aces to hold serve and fired two more aces to take the tiebreaker easily.
Khachanov will face Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in the second round.
Ninth-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who recently lost in the Miami Open final to Jannik Sinner, won his first-round match against local wild card Valentin Vacherot 7-5, 6-2. Dimitrov, who won his first ATP title in more than six years at the Brisbane International in January, came under intense pressure in the first set when Vacherot broke serve in the first game, but found his rhythm to claim the victory in the second set.
Results
1st round
Roman Safiullin (RUS) defeated Jaume Munar (ESP) 7-5, 6-1
Arthur Fils (FRA) defeated Yannick Hanfmann (GER) 6-0, 6-2
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) beat Corentin Moutet (FRA) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) defeated Luca Nardi (ITA) 6-2, 6-3
Ugo Humbert (FRA/N.14) defeated Federico Coria (ARG) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) defeated Christopher O’Connell (AUS) 6-3, 6-4
Sebastian Ofner (AUT) defeated Daniel Evans (GBR) 6-1, 6-4
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE/N.12) over Laslo Djere (SRB) 6-3, 3-2 (abandonment)
Karen Khachanov (RUS/N.15) beat Cameron Norrie (GBR) 7-5, 7-6 (7/3)
Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) defeated Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)
Sumit Nagal (IND) beat Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL/N.9) beat Valentin Vacherot (MON) 7-5, 6-2
Source: La Verdad
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