MONACO – Three-time Grand Slam winners Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka had contrasting fortunes in the first round of the clay-court Monte Carlo Masters.
Former champion Wawrinka rallied to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 against Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, sealing victory on his sixth match point.
The 38-year-old Swiss, who won here in 2014, next plays American Taylor Fritz.
Murray lost 6-1, 6-3 to 14th-seeded Alex De Minaur. The 35-year-old Murray, who has a metal hip, struggled against the Australian’s court speed in their first meeting on clay, losing the first set in 34 minutes after dropping serve a third time.
De Minaur served out the match on his first match point when Murray’s backhand hit the net, and he improved to 3-0 against the British player.
“It was really important to stay calm with myself,” said 2014 champion Wawrinka, the oldest man in this year’s field.
“In the first round you need to find your game. The first match on clay is never easy against a good player. I’m happy to get through. It was important to fight until the end.”
Up next for the three-times Grand Slam champion is world number 10 Taylor Fritz.
“He’s an amazing player,” Wawrinka said on Fritz according to Reuters. “He’s top 10, been winning a lot of matches. Winning a lot of tournaments. He’s very dangerous on many surfaces.”
Former Wimbledon finallist Matteo Berrettini of Italy won 6-4, 6-2 against unseeded American Maxime Cressy, who served 14 double-faults, AP reported.
Berrettini, who has dropped to 22nd in the rankings, next faces Francisco Cerundolo.
“It has been a tough start to the year for many reasons. But I am back and I am fighting and playing tennis at a beautiful tournament,” Berrettini said. “I am really happy with the win and thought the level was high.”
The unseeded Argentine won 90 per cent of his first-serve points in a 6-3, 6-4 win against 11th-seeded Briton Cameron Norrie.
Dominic Thiem had six aces and did not face a break point as he beat French veteran Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-4.
Thiem has reached the final at every Grand Slam except Wimbledon, twice losing in the French Open final and once at the Australian Open before finally winning at the US Open in 2020.
The 29-year-old Austrian reached a career-high No. 3 in the rankings that year, but his form dropped following a right wrist injury and he´s now 106th.
Thiem announced that he was parting ways with coach Nicolas Massu after four years together. Thiem next plays Paris Masters winner Holger Rune of Denmark, who is seeded sixth. “At the start I played very well,” said Thiem.
“It was good for me that I broke him. I was going ahead the whole match. I am pleased with the performance.
“Richard is in good form, he already won a tournament this year. It is always tough but at the same time nice to play him because he has such a nice game and is a legend of tennis,” Thiem added.
Diego Schwartzman won 6-4, 6-2 against Belgian David Goffin and next faces seventh-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner.
Briton Jack Draper beat Sebastian Baez 6-3, 7-5 to set up a match against 10th-seeded Hubert Hurkacz.
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