World No. 1 Novak Djokovic displayed his dominance on clay by securing a convincing 6-1, 6-2 victory over Roman Safiullin in the opening rounds of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Tuesday. Maintaining his form after skipping the recent Miami Open, Djokovic breezed through the match to progress to the next stage.
The Serbian, a two-time champion at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2013 and 2015, is determined to make a strong comeback. Djokovic will face either French player Arthur Fils or Italian talent Lorenzo Musetti in his upcoming match, the victor of which will set the tone for Djokovic’s further campaign in the tournament.
Hubert Hurkacz, the 10th seed, fought hard to claim a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2) victory over Britain’s Jack Draper in a closely contested battle. In another exciting match, Alex de Minaur dominated former champion Stan Wawrinka with a decisive 6-3, 6-0 win, showcasing his prowess on the clay courts.
Young talent Sebastian Korda impressed with a straightforward 6-1, 6-2 win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, setting up a challenging clash with world No. 2 Jannik Sinner in the next round. However, third seed Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the tournament due to an arm injury, giving lucky loser Lorenzo Sonego a chance to compete against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
As the tournament progresses, fans eagerly anticipate how Djokovic and other top players will fare in the intense competition, setting the stage for an exciting week of tennis in Monte Carlo before the upcoming French Open.
Credit Gist New Today News in Newspaper Nigeria Headlines