Monte Carlo Masters: Britain’s Dan Evans and Jack Draper knocked out, Novak Djokovic through to third round | Tennis News

British curiosity within the Monte Carlo Masters ended on Tuesday as each Dan Evans and Jack Draper had been knocked out, following first-round exits for Andy Murray and Cam Norrie on Monday.

British No 2 Evans fell on the first hurdle, overwhelmed 2-6 6-2 6-3 by qualifier Ilya Ivashka of their first-round tie, whereas Draper was defeated 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 by Polish tenth seed Hubert Hurkacz within the second spherical.

Evans took the primary set comfortably however was unable to maintain his type as Ivashka battled again in wonderful model to ebook a second-round assembly along with his brother-in-law Karen Khachanov.

Evans received off to the absolute best begin when he broke Ivashka within the opening recreation, and he produced some completed tennis to race right into a 4-0 lead with minimal fuss earlier than claiming the primary set 6-2.

Ivashka rallied to win the primary recreation of the second set on serve after which broke on the second time of asking to go 3-1 forward. Evans held to like within the sixth recreation of the set, however handed up a break level within the subsequent to path 5-2 and was swiftly made to pay because the match was squared.

The third set went with serve – Evans noticed one other break level elude him at 3-3 – earlier than Ivashka made the decisive transfer within the eighth recreation and finally eased throughout the ending line.

Evans’ compatriot Draper suffered a second-round exit regardless of a battling effort towards Hurcakz. The primary set received away from the 21-year-old British No 4, however he battled his manner again into the match courtesy of a second set tie-break.

Draper trailed 4-2 within the third set, however broke again instantly and levelled at 4-4. Though he labored himself to inside a degree of a deciding tie-break at 5-6 and 40-0 up on his serve, Hurkacz then received 5 factors on the trot to edge by way of.

Djokovic wins on Monte Carlo return after month off

Novak Djokovic briefly ran right into a spot of trouble as he fought his manner into the third spherical with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 victory over qualifier Ivan Gakhov.

Djokovic, who had not performed since early March when he reached the semi-finals in Dubai after being pressured to skip the tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami due to his Covid-19 unvaccinated standing, struggled to search out his vary on the Monte Carlo clay earlier than finally prevailing in straight units.

Gakhov went for his photographs and claimed the primary service break to steer 4-3, just for the Serbian to interrupt proper again and take the opening set by profitable the tiebreak 7-5.

Djokovic was then businesslike within the second set, leaving no likelihood of a comeback for his opponent. The 2-time French Open champion, who suffered a first-round exit right here final 12 months, will subsequent face Lorenzo Musetti or the sixteenth seed’s Italian compatriot Luca Nardi.

Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas joins Djokovic within the third spherical after opponent Benjamin Bonzi was pressured to retire with a wrist damage at 4-1 down within the opening set.

German Alexander Zverev, who suffered a severe ankle damage in his French Open semi-final conflict towards Rafael Nadal final 12 months, was again on the clay courts with a 3-6 6-2 6-4 first-round win over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik.

Spain’s Nadal, who has triumphed a report 11 occasions on the Monte Carlo Nation Membership, is absent after failing to recuperate from a hip damage that has stored him sidelined because the Australian Open.

His compatriot Carlos Alcaraz can be lacking the match with hand and again issues.