Daniil Medvedev did not have things all his own way on Wednesday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters against Gael Monfils, but found a way to reach the third round in the Principality for the third time.<\/p>\n
The fourth seed batted off a mid-match resurgence from the dynamic Frenchman to record a 6-2, 6-4 win.<\/p>\n
“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,” Medvedev said. “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.”<\/p>\n
Medvedev started quickly in his first clay-court match of the season to race ahead. However, Monfils grew into the match and used support from the vocal local crowd to roar into a 4-1 lead in the second set, producing moments of his trademark magic to make his mark.<\/p>\n
With the match heading for a decisive third set, Medvedev dug in. The No. 4 player in the PIF ATP Rankings started to make more balls, retrieving Monfils\u2019 powerful groundstrokes to turn the set around and advance after one hour and 27 minutes.<\/p>\n
Medvedev, who reached the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo last season, will next play Karen Khachanov after the World No. 17 defeated Francisco Cerundolo 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.<\/p>\n
“I think Karen likes [clay] more but I can play well on clay,” Medvedev said ahead of his match against Khachanov. “Even when I am 45 I can say I have a Rome Masters title, so I can play well on it and I am happy about it. But Karen is a tough opponent.”<\/p>\n
Medvedev enjoyed success on clay last year, winning his maiden tour-level title on the surface at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome. The 28-year-old is chasing his first trophy of the season this week, with his best result in 2024 a final run at the Australian Open.<\/p>\n
Casper Ruud bounced back from a disappointing semi-final defeat to Pedro Martinez in Estoril with a comfortable opening-round win in Monte-Carlo. The eighth seed dispatched Chilean Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 23 minutes to reach the third round.<\/p>\n
Ruud, who won 59 per cent (10\/17) of points behind his second serve, will meet 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz following his 21st tour-level victory of the year.<\/p>\n
The Norwegian has captured nine of his 10 tour-level titles on clay. The two-time Roland Garros finalist advanced to the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo in 2021.<\/p>\n
In other action, Holger Rune was leading 6-3, 2-1 when play was suspended for the day due to rain. The 20-year-old, who is competing in his first clay-court match of the season, reached the title match in Monte-Carlo last year.<\/p>\n
Grigor Dimitrov, fresh off his final run in Miami, held a 6-4, 2-1 advantage against Miomir Kecmanovic when rain halted their match.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ruud overcomes Tabilo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-non-classifiee-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n