Ugo Humbert powered back after losing the opening set to defeat Federico Coria 4-6 6-1 6-2 and reach the Monte Carlo Masters second round yesterday, with Grigor Dimitrov, Karen Khachanov and Stefanos Tsitsipas also safely through.
Humbert went out in the first round last year to Italian wildcard Lorenzo Sonego and, after losing the first set to Argentine Coria, the French 14th seed looked in trouble again.
The 25-year-old overcame the setback though and strolled to win the next two sets, breaking Coria’s serve twice in each set.
Karen Khachanov was also made to battle before overcoming Britain’s Cameron Norrie 7-5 7-6(3). The Russian 15th seed had his serve broken twice in the opening set and was forced into a tiebreak in the second.
Norrie again broke serve twice in the second and at 6-5 up had two break points to win the set but Khachanov hit back with three consecutive aces to hold serve and fired another two aces to take the tiebreak with ease.
Khachanov will face Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in the second round.
Bulgarian ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov, who recently lost the Miami Open final to Jannik Sinner, came through his first round match with local wildcard Valentin Vacherot by 7-5 6-2.
The top eight seeds received byes to the second round, and today world number one Novak Djokovic will be in action against Russia’s Roman Safiullin.