ATP Monte Carlo: Rafael Nadal with a furious start
Defending champion Rafael Nadal made an impressive first appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo. The Spaniard defeated compatriot Roberto Bautista-Agut 6: 1 and 6: 1.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Apr 17, 2019, 04:20 pm
A little more than 20 minutes were played on the Court Rainier III, when the eleven-time Monte Carlo title winner was already ahead with 5: 0. This basically continued the tendency that had developed in the previous two games between Nadal and Bautista-Agut: the left-hander had won all five sets played and had not given up in more than four games. Set one took 32 minutes, then Bautista-Agut put a forehand off to 1: 6.
Nadal also started the second round with a break, Bautista-Agut simply lacked the means to properly put his compatriot in second place. Even if Nadal gave his opponent two chances to rebreak in the fourth game. The favorite scored his first match point after 78 minutes and will face either Grigor Dimitrov or Jan-Lennard Struff in the round of 16 on Thursday.
By the way, Nadal's final opponent from 2018 is no longer represented in the tableau: Kei Nishikori lost 5: 7 and 4: 6 to Pierre-Hugues Herbert.