Diego Schwartzman battled past Karen Khachanov 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3 to advance to the second round at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Schwartzman has improved his record on clay this year to 10-3 after finishing runner-up in two finals losing to Casper Ruud in Buenos Aires and to Carlos Alcaraz in Rio de Janeiro.
Khachanov earned an early break in the first game to open up a 2-0 lead. Schwartzman converted his third break-back point in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Khachanov broke in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead. Schwartzman broke back on his second opportunity in the next game to force the first set to the tie-break. Both players traded three mini-breaks before Khachanov sealed the tie-break 7-5 with his fourth mini-break.
Schwartzman went up a 3-0 lead with two breaks at the start of the second set. Khachanov pulled one break in the fourth game at deuce. Schwartman saved a break point before sealing the second set with a break in the 12th game. Khachanov broke in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Schwartzman pulled back on serve in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Schwartzman broke for the second time in the 11th game to close out the third set 6-3.
Schwartzman leads 3-2 over Khachanov in their five head-to-head matches. The Argentine beat his Russian rival in Miami 2017 and Vienna 2019. Khachanov prevailed in Cincinnati 2017 and at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021.
The Argentine set up a second round match against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics.
Former Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters 1000 champion Fabio Fognini overcame Arthur Rinderknech 7-5 4-6 6-3 after 2 hours and 30 minutes. Fognini set up a second round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas in a clash between the past two Monte-Carlo champions.
Rinderknech earned an early break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Fognini broke straight back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Rinderknech broke serve in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead earning a chance to serve for the set, but Fognini broke straight back to draw level to 5-5, as Rinderknech hit his forehand into the net. Fognini broke serve in the 12th game with a crosscourt forehand return winner to seal the first set 7-5.
Rinderknech started the second set with an early break in the opening game. Fognini was not able to convert five break-back points in the sixth game. Rinderknech saved two more break points with an ace and a forehand winner and won two consecutive points from 40-40 with two forehand winners on his serve to close out the second set 6-4. Fognini earned an early break at love in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead.
Rinderknech broke straight back at 30 after Fognini made a forehand error on break point. Fognini broke again in the sixth game at deuce to open up a 4-2 lead, as Rinderknech made two consecutive forehand errors at 40-40. Fognini saved two break points at 5-3 15-40 before sealing the win on his first match point.
