Danil Medvedev beat Gael Monfils 6-2 6-4 to reach the third round at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters for the third time in his career.
Medvedev broke Monfils in the fifth game after Monfils went long with a forehand. The Russian player earned another break in the seventh game after a few errors from Monfils.
Monfils came back from 15-40 down in the opening game of the second set. The Frenchman fended off three break points in his next service game.
Medvedev was leading 6-2 1-2 when he was annoyed by two line calls on his baseline which he disagreed with. Medvedev made two double faults and was broken after a long rally. Monfils held serve at 30 to open up a 4-1 lead.
Medvedev reeled off five consecutive games with two breaks of serve to close out the second set 6-4 on his first match point after 1 hour and 27 minutes. “When you play Gael, he is very good in defence, so sometimes you are scared to attack him because that Is what he loves doing. It was a tactical game here and there but I felt good. I played good speed where I could defend well and not give him two easy balls”, said Medvedev.
Hubert Hurkacz beat Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 7-6 (7-4). Hurkacz hit 42 winners to 15 unforced errors.
Bautista Agut saved two break points in the third game to hold serve at deuce. The Spanish player broke serve in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead and served out the first set with a hold at 15. Bautista Agut broke serve in the second game to take a 2-0 lead in the second set. Hurkacz broke straight back in the third game and held serve at 30. Hurkacz earned two mini-breaks to take a 6-3 lead in the tie-break. The Polish player did not convert the first of his three match points, but he converted his second chance to seal the tie-break 7-4.
Hubert Hurkacz set up a third round match against Casper Ruud, who beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-2 6-4 in 1 hour and 23 minutes. Ruud, who reached the semifinal in Monte-Carlo in 2021, won 59% of his second serve points.
Ruud broke twice in the fifth and seventh games to win the first set 6-2. The Norwegian player broke in the fifth game of the second set to take a 3-2 lead. Tabilo saved three break points in the seventh game before breaking serve in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Ruud broke for the second time in the ninth game and served out the win on his first match point.
