After ready almost two and a half hours ready for the rain to relent on the Monte Carlo Masters Alex de Minaur has brushed apart three-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka in precisely an hour.
The Australian No.1 defeated the veteran Swiss 6-3 6-0 to chalk up his twentieth win of 2024 and transfer into the final 32 in Monaco.
However Jordan Thompson withdrew with an unspecified damage shortly earlier than he was due on the claycourt to play Gael Monfils. Thompson had gained a doubles occasion throughout the Atlantic Ocean in Houston with Max Purcell on the weekend
Fellow Aussie Aleksandar Vukic changed him as a fortunate loser and, surprisingly given his lack of preparation, managed to take the primary set. However, he in the end misplaced once more, 7-6 (9-7) 3-6 5-7 in two hours, 13 minutes.
World No.3 Carlos Alcaraz additionally withdrew on Tuesday, with an arm damage.
“My attitude (was important),” stated de Minaur of his match. “(I didn’t play) my best tennis to come out with on the first match on the clay. So I stayed tough, stayed solid, I played tough when I needed to and I found my way into the match and started playing better and better.”
De Minaur now meets Tallon Griekspoor hoping to succeed in the final 16 for the primary time within the Principality. If he does acquire his first win over the Dutchman in three conferences he’ll subsequent face both defending champion Andrey Rublev or compatriot Alexei Popyrin.
“I think with every year of experience I look forward to the clay season even more,” stated de Minaur.
“In the past, maybe mentally I wasn’t really ready to tell myself I was going to be good on the clay. That, plus I put on a little bit of weight, put on a bit of muscle.
“Claycourt tennis is at all times so bodily and there’s a lot of energy concerned, so I’ve placed on a few kilos and hopefully it helps me this clay season.”
Alcaraz was meanwhile packing his bags. He wrote on social media: “I’ve been working in Monte Carlo and attempting to get better till the final minute from an injured pronator teres in my proper arm, but it surely was not doable and I can’t play! I used to be actually wanting ahead to taking part in… See you subsequent yr!”
Novak Djokovic played his first match since parting ways with long-time coach Goran Ivanisevic.
With former Serbian doubles specialist Nenad Zimonjic guiding him from the stands, Djokovic, now the oldest men’s singles No.1 in history, eased to a 6-1 6-2 victory over Russia’s Roman Safiullin.
The 36-year-old said: “I’m more than happy. Even the video games that I misplaced, I had break factors in these video games. Really good first match at the beginning of the clay season. I hope to keep up this rhythm.”
Among other winners were Alexander Zverev, Hubert Hurkacz and Sebastian Korda, who now meets Jannik Sinner.
Off-court Spanish player Aaron Cortes has been given a 15-year ban for match-fixing and other offences.
The 29-year-old, who reached a singles highest ranking of No. 995 in 2017, was fined $US75,000 ($A113,000) and banned from playing, coaching and even attending official tennis events until March 27, 2039.
with businesses
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
