Updated on
Summary
Rising Croat Marin Cilic and fifth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga were among second-round winner at the $2.97 million Monte Carlo Masters. The fourth-seeded Cilic, a semifinalist at the Australian Open back in January, came from behind to beat Russian Igor Andreev 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-4, while the former Aussie Open runner-up Tsonga handled Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 on the red clay at the prestigious Monte Carlo Country Club. Verdasco drilled France's Julien Benneteau 6-2, 6-1, while Berdych, who reached the Masters finale in Miami two weeks ago, blitzed French wild card Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-0. Several seeds saw first-round action on Day 2, as No 12 Spaniard Tommy Robredo routed Argentine Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 6-3; hot No. 13 Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka topped Romanian Victor Hanescu in a rematch of last week's Casablanca finale 6-2, 6-4; No. 15 Austrian Jurgen Melzer mauled France's Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-3, 6-2; and Spain's Albert Montanes ousted No. 16 Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 6-2. The second round will conclude with 12 matches here on Wednesday, including ones for top seeds Novak Djokovic, five-time reigning Monte Carlo champion Rafael Nadal and Aussie Open runner-up Andy Murray. Djokovic will encounter Serra, while Nadal will meet De Bakker and Murray will take on dangerous German Philipp Kohlschreiber.
