Frenchmen Moutet, Herbert earn qualifying wins in Monte-Carlo

Frenchmen Corentin Moutet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert tasted victory in the first round of qualifying on Saturday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The entertaining Moutet overcame Canadian Gabriel Diallo 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, while Herbert defeated Aleksandar Vukic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Moutet is aiming to make his second main draw appearance in The Principality with Herbert reaching the third round in 2019. The 34-year-old Herbert will next meet Daniel Altmaier after the German overcame Spaniard Jaume Munar 7-5, 3-6, 7-5.

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The 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion Hamad Medjedovic made a winning start to his qualifying campaign. The Serbian beat Borna Gojo 6-4, 6-4. The No. 72 in the PIF ATP Rankings takes on Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the second round. The Argentine eliminated Frenchman Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-0.

David Goffin upset Carlos Alcaraz in Miami last month and he began his qualifying campaign in Monte-Carlo with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 win against Yannick Hanfmann. Goffin is former semi-finalist in Monaco. Frenchman Arthur Rinkdernech defeated Luca Nardi 6-4, 6-4 and will next play Mariano Navone.

Navone has reached two tour-level finals on clay in the past. He started his Monte-Carlo journey with a 6-3, 6-1 win against Chun Hsin Tseng. China’s Buyunchaokete defeated #NextGenATP Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 6-3, 6-1.

Former finalist Dusan Lajovic overcame Alexander Bublik 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-0 and Laslo Djere defeated Francisco Comesana 6-4, 6-4. Albert Ramos-Vinolas downed Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.