Danil Medvedev beat his compatriot Karen Khachanov 7-5 4-6 6-4 on Court Rainier III to reach the second round at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Medvedev went up a double break to race out to a 5-1 lead. Khachanov pulled both breaks back to draw level to 5-5 lead. Medvedev saved three break points to hold serve after three deuces for 5-5.
Medvedev earned a third break at deuce in the 12th game to close out the first set 7-5.
Medvedev converted his third break point in the second game of the second set to open up a 2-0 lead. Khachanov broke straight back in the third game for 1-2. Medvedev earned his second break and held serve at love to race out to a 4-1 lead. Khachanov reeled off five consecutive games to close out the second set 6-4.
The third set featured seven breaks in ten games. Medvedev broke in the second game, but Khachanov broke straight back in the third game. Medvedev went up a break twice, but Khachamov pulled back on serve both times. Medvedev closed out the third set 6-4 with another break in the 10th game.
Medvedev has improved his head-to-head series to 7-2 in his head-to-head series against Khachanov. He will take on Alexandre Muller, who beat Camilio Ugo Carabelli 6-4 6-4.
Medvedev returned to winning way on clay as he chases his first title since Rome in 2023.
Medvedev dropped out of the top 10 after losing in the first round at the Miami Open.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina came back from one set down to beat Ben Shelton 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 6-1. Davidovich Fokina broke serve in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Shelton broke straight in the 10th game to draw level to 5-5. Davidovich Fokina earned a second break in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead, but Shelton pulled back on serve in the 12th game to draw level to 6-6. Davidovich Fokina earned an early mini-break to open up a 2-0 lead, but Shelton reeled off seven consecutive points to win the tie-break 7-2.
Shelton earned an early break in the first game to open up a 2-0 lead. Davidovich Fokina came back by winning six consecutive games to win the set 6-2.
Davidovich Fokina went a break in the second game to take a 2-0 lead. Shelton broke straight back in the third game at deuce, but Davidovich Fokina won four consecutive games to win the third set 6-1.
Francisco Cerundolo beat Fabio Fognini 6-0 6-3. Cerundolo broke in the first game to open up a 2-0 lead. Fognini saved a break point in the third game, but Cerundolo went up a double break at deuce to open up a 3-0 lead. Fognini earned two break back points in the fourth game, but Cerundolo won four consective points to hold serve for 4-0. Cerundolo broke three times to take a bagel win in the first set. The second set went on serve until the fifth game when Cerundolo rallied from 15-40 down and converted his second break point to take a 3-2 lead. Cerundolo held his next two service games at love to take a 5-3 lead. The South American player broke at deuce on his second match point to seal the second set 6-3 at deuce.
The Argentine player earned two breaks in the fifth and ninth games to win the second set 6-3.
