Krawietz/Puetz advance as Top 2 seeds fall in Monte-Carlo

Sixth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz were among those to advance Wednesday despite multiple second-round upsets at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. The Germans needed just 61 minutes to oust singles stars Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-1 and reach the last eight in the Principality.

Krawietz and Puetz, who last year won the clay-court ATP 500 in Hamburg, will meet Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen in the quarter-finals after the Belgians stunned defending champions and second seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek 6-4, 6-3.

Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic also booked their spot in the last eight after they upset top seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 6-3, 7-6(6).

Third seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos were 6-2, 6-4 winners against Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow.

In the final doubles match of the day, Marcelo Melo and Alexander Zverev led Francisco Cerundolo and Tomas Martin Etcheverry 2-1 before rain cancelled the remainder of Wednesday’s action. The match will resume Thursday after suitable rest for Zverev, who plays Stefanos Tsitsipas in the singles quarter-finals.

The winner of Cerundolo/Etcheverry vs. Melo/Zverev will then return to court for a second-round clash against fourth seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, meaning the German Zverev could play as many as three matches Thursday.