TENNIS – Novak Djokovic beat Albert Ramos Vinolas 6-1 6-4 in the Centre Court of the Monte-Carlo Country Club after one-hour and 26 minutes in his opening match at the 109th edition of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Master. The other highlight was Grigor Dimitrov’s win over Fernando Verdssco in three sets with 6-4 4-6 6-4 Diego Sampaolo
Djokovic is looking to become the first three Master 1000 Tournaments of the year after scoring the Indian-Wells- Miami double last month. He also won the first Grand Slam title of the year at the Australian Open.
Djokovic has been at the top of the Ranking for 142 weeks, one week more than Rafa Nadal. The Serbian player is currently sixth in the all-time list of players who have spent the most weeks in number 1 place in the ATP Ranking.
Nole broke serve twice in his first two service games to cruise to 4-0. He never looked in trouble but he dropped serve in the fifth game after a double fault and two consecutive backhand errors. Djokovic broke again in the sixth game before wrapping up the first set with 6-1. Djokovic faced a stiffer opposition from Ramos Vinolas in the second set but he managed to break in the seventh game en route to winning the second set with 6-4 With today’s win Djokovic extended his winning streak to 13 matches.
“I am really pleased with my performance for my first match on clay against an experienced player on this surface”, said Djokovic.
In the most interesting match of the second day Grigor Dimitrov battled past Fernando Verdasco in three sets with 6-4 4-6 6-4 in a hard-fought match where he had to fend off 15 of the 17 break points he faced.
Dimitrov did not convert on a break point at 4-4 in the second set and dropped his serve in the next game on the sixth break point.
In the third set Dimitrov opened up a 4-1 lead but Verdasco clawed his was back into the match for 4-5. Dimitrov saved six break points to clinch the win with 6-4.
Dimitrov will take on 2013 Monte-Carlo semifinalist Fabio Fognini.
Frenchman Gael Monfils fought back from a set down to edge past Andrey Kuznetsov with 4-6 6-3 6-4 in one hour and 52 minutes. Monfils converted on on five of his eleven break point chances to set up a fascinating second round match against Aleksander Dolgopolov.
Monfils went up a break in the first set and opened up a 4-2 lead but Kuznetsov won 12 of the last 14 points reeling off four consecutive games to seal the first set with 6-4. Monfils broke serve twice in the second set en route to winning it with 6-2 to force the second set to the decider. Monfils hit two big serves to save two break points as he was serving for the match at 5-4 before closing out the match.
Monfils made his return after a three-week lay-off due to a knee injury. He reached the fourth round in Miami but he was was forced to withdraw because of a right hip injury.
“I often struggled at this tournament. It’s always difficult period of the year. I never had much success in Monte-Carlo, so I am very pleased that I was able to get through this match. I have mixed feelings. There were good parts in the games but also bad ones, certainly due partly to Kuznetsov, who was playing well. I was able to come back. Once I was a bit more confident, I was able to move better”, said Monfils
Another French star Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, who reached the semifinals in 2013 and the quarter finals in his past three appearances in the Principality, fended off all the seven break points he faced in his 6-4 6-4 win over German lucky loser Jan Lennard Struff. Tsonga got the break on his second service game and held his serve until the end of the first set. He saved two break points at 4-3 before sealing the first set on his second set point. Tsonga got the break in the third game after saving two break points in his previous service game. Tsonga faced three break points but he saved them easily before clinching his first win of the year after the injury.
On a good day for French tennis Lucas Poille beat Austrian Dominic Thiem 6-4 6-4. This match featured ten breaks of serve. Pouille set up a second-round against eight-time Monte-Carlo champion Rafael Nadal. Jeremy Chardy overcame Diego Schwartzmann in straight sets with 7-5 6-2 setting up a second round match against Roger Federe. It will be a re-match of last year’s match where Chardy upset Federer.
Tommy Robredo edged past Andreas Seppi in the match between tow over-30 players with 6-3 1-6 6-4 after 1 hour and 45 minutes on the Court of Princes setting up a all-Spanish match against Marcel Grannollers who eased past Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-3 6-0.
Seppi got an early break in the opening game of the first set but Robredo broke back to take a 2-1 lead. Seppi committed too many errors and Robredo cruised to 6-3 in 32 minutes. Seppi bounced back winning the first five games of the second set to cruise to 5-0 and got a set point for 6-0 before sealing the second set with 6-1. The Italian faced the only trouble in the third game when he recovered from 15-40 down to go up 3-0 on the fourth deuce.
The third set went on serve until 2-2 in the decider. Seppi broke serve in the fifth game to take the 3-2 lead and held his serve in the next game for 4-2. Robredo broke back to draw level to 4-4 before holding his serve in the ninth game for 5-4.
Seppi fought back from a set down by winning the second set. In the third set The Italian player went up 4-2 but Robredo reeled off four consecutive games to win the third set with 6-4. Seppi won just one point in his last two service games. Robredo leads 6-3 in his head-to-head matches over Seppi.
Last year’s US Open champion Marin Cilic edged past Floryan Mayer with 6-3 3-6 6-3 in one hour and 40 minutes. Cilic won his first match of the season after being sidelined by an injury in the first months of the year. Mayer broke serve in the sixth game of the second set to take the 4-2 lead en route to winning the second set with 6-3 to force the match to the third set. Cilic broke in the fourth game of the third set. He faced the only trouble in the next game when he managed to hold his serve at deuce.
Juan Monaco beat Czech rising star Jiri Vezely 6-4 6-2 setting up a second round match against defending champion Stan Wawrinka.
Viktor Troicki hit seven aces and converted on all his three break points in his hard-fought 7-6 (7-3) 5-7 6-2 win over Martin Klizan who won in Casablanca last week.
David Ferrer was leading 6-2 2-0 when 34-year-old Victor Estrella Burgos was forced to withdraw due to a right shoulder injury. Ferrer recovered from a break down in the first set before reeling off five consecutive games. Gilles Simon beat local favourite Benjamin Balleret 6-4 6-2.
In the final match of the day Andreas Haider Maurer fought back from a set down to edge Bernard Tomic 6-7 7-6 6-4 after a very long and hard-fought match.
