The first Masters 1000 of the season, contested on clay, the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters got underway on Sunday, featuring veteran Gael Monfils, who brought his magic and charisma to his last dance in The Principality.
Day 1 of action at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters featured an intense world-class tennis journey to kick off the clay court season at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in style.
World No. 24 Cameron Norrie secured his first victory at the iconic venue since 2019.
The former Indian Wells champion overpowered world No. 58 Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(0) in two hours and 48 minutes, advancing to the second round.
Next, the 30-year-old will face fifth seed Alex de Minaur for a spot in the third round.
The Brit made a strong start to the season, including an impressive run in Indian Wells, where he shocked the Australian player in straight sets on his way to a quarterfinal clash with world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Court Rainier III also saw 17-year-old wildcard Moise Kouame, making his Monte-Carlo debut, falling to countryman Ugo Humbert 6-3, 7-5 in a highly competitive one-hour, 47-minute match.
In his on-court interview, Humbert spoke about his young opponent: “He’s really young, but he has a good future. He looks a little bit like Gael Monfils. He has a big serve and moves very well."
Humbert, whose best results this season came in Adelaide by reaching the final and in Rotterdam, where he made it through the semis, has set a second-round meeting with world No. 2 Jannik Sinner.
The Italian, fresh from completing the 'Sunshine Double', is looking for a smooth transition to the red clay, eyeing a maiden crown in The Principality, while a return to the top of the Rankings is on the cards if he succeeds.
Fittingly, former world No. 6 Gael Monfils, making his 13th appearance at the tournament, his last as a professional tennis player, having announced his retirement after the 2026 season, stole the spotlight, displaying his magic in Monte-Carlo.
The 2016 runner-up, who accepted a wild card to play at the Masters 1000, notched a hard-fought 6-7(7), 6-1, 6-4 win over Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor to keep his campaign alive on Monegasque soil.
The 39-year-old Frenchman, who put a spell on the crowd, courtesy of a high-quality display and unique charisma, outlined: “I had to find the balance with, of course, a lot of emotions, knowing it’s my last year here.
“I also haven’t played since Indian Wells, so it wasn’t easy, but in the end, I found my range, and I’m pretty pleased with this win. I love to play with emotion. I love playing with the crowd.
"The balance is easy for me to find because it's joy, and I can allow my creativity on the court."
Monfils made a solid start to the first set, and so did his opponent, who ultimately got the better of the 13-time ATP title holder in an edgy tiebreak.
Then, the Parisian native raised his game to come through the second set, winning 87 percent of the points on his first serve and 60 percent on his second delivery, setting the encounter even at one set apiece.
In the decider, he held his nerve when failing to serve out the match at 5-2, staying the course to get the job done in his second attempt, pocketing the final set 6-4 and the match in two hours and 15 minutes.
Moreover, he outreached Richard Gasquet for the most Masters 1000 match victories among Frenchmen (145).
Eighth seed Alexander Bublik awaits the experienced French player in the second round.
Monfils leads Kazakhstan No. 1 racquet 2-1 in their series; however, Bublik won their only meeting on clay to date.
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