France suffered a double blow at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Tuesday, as sixth seed Gilles Simon and ninth seed Gael Monfils both lost to lower-ranked opponents in straights sets on a perfect day at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, the venue of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court tennis tournament.
Seventh-ranked Gilles Simon made his third successive opening-round exit in Monte-Carlo with a 7-5, 6-1 loss to German qualifier Andreas Beck, who improved to 4-2 on the 2009 ATP World Tour season.
Beck first served for the opening set at 5-4, before Simon flickered into action. But, ultimately, the 24 year old won just 30 of 64 service points and paid the price – losing six games in a row in the second set – to fall to 14-10 this year. It is Simon’s second opening-round loss of 2009 (also Sydney, l. to Gasquet) and he drops to 30-25 lifetime at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments.
“This match was completely rotten from the first to the last point,” lamented Simon. “I'm surprised myself. I felt at ease on this surface. I was moving well. But I don't remember ever playing so badly. Nothing was right. Nothing was working. My forehand, my backhand, my serve, nothing.”
For 23-year-old Beck, who is competing at only his third tour-level tournament of the season, it was his first career win over a Top 10 opponent (1-3 lifetime). He next will meet either Argentine Juan Monaco or No. 11 seed Tommy Robredo of Spain.
Gael Monfils became France’s first seeded casualty on day three, when the 22 year old was beaten 6-3, 6-1 by Janko Tipsarevic (pictured) of Serbia
Ninth-seeded Monfils led Tipsarevic 3-1 before losing five straight games and the 40-minute first set. Monfils, who is suffering from tendonitis in both his knees, never recovered and made his fourth first-round exit in five appearances at the tournament – much to the disappointment of the crowd – in just 67 minutes.
“There's not much to say about that match,” said Monfils, who was broken five times in total and drops to 15-8 on the season. “I'm just trying to get used to clay-court conditions. I need to work more with Roger (Rasheed) and then confidence will come back.”
World No. 56 Tipsarevic – who also beat Monfils at an ATP World Tour Challenger in Zagreb two years ago – will next meet Italian Simone Bolelli.
Elsewhere Fabio Fognini joined Beck as a qualifier who has recorded his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament match-win this week. The No.108th-ranked Italian delighted local support by defeating World No. 25 Tomas Berdych 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in just under two hours in only the second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of his career. Fognini goes on to meet No. 14 seed Marin Cilic of Croatia in the second round.
Another big-name casualty was No. 16 seed Nicolas Almagro, who compiled a 30-8 clay-court record (most wins) last year. Spanish compatriot and World No. 36 Albert Montanes handed Almagro a 7-6(6), 4-6, 7-6(5) defeat in two hours and 30 minutes.
Despite hitting 12 aces and winning 65 per cent of service points in his second ATP World Tour tournament since lifting the Acapulco trophy (d. Monfils) in February, Almagro was unable to capitalise on five break point opportunities and 10 double faults from the Montanes racquet.
Montanes goes on to meet Monaco wild card and World No. 263 Jean-Rene Lisnard, who defeated Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-2, 6-2 in 71 minutes.
His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco was the guest of honour at the Monte-Carlo Country Club on Tuesday.(From Website : http://www.atpworldtour.com/TENNIS/1/EN/NEWS/NEWSARTICLE_3120.ASP)
