MONACO — In an impressive display, reigning French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his clay-court season with a thrilling comeback, defeating Francisco Cerundolo 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday.
The second seed Alcaraz entered the match looking to bounce back from a surprising early exit against Belgian veteran David Goffin at the Miami Open last month.
With an initial setback as Cerundolo, ranked No. 22, claimed the first set, it appeared another upset could be on the horizon. However, Alcaraz quickly regained control, converting five out of seven break points to dominate the following sets.
As he aims for his second title of 2025, Alcaraz is meticulously honing his skills on clay, preparing to defend his crown at Roland Garros, which commences next month.
Later on Wednesday, Novak Djokovic will initiate his pursuit of a remarkable 100th career title, facing Alejandro Tabilo, the player who handed the 24-time Grand Slam champion a shocking defeat at last year’s Italian Open.
Having recently lost to Jakub Mensik in the Miami Open final, the 38-year-old Djokovic is set to celebrate his birthday next month—just ahead of the French Open kick-off on May 25.
In other matches, 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti triumphed over Jiri Lehecka with a score of 1-6, 7-5, 6-2, earning a spot in the last 16 against fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini, who took down top seed Alexander Zverev earlier.
On a bittersweet note, veteran French players Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils, both 38, saw their campaigns cut short by Daniel Altmaier and seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev, respectively.
The Monte Carlo Masters marks the beginning of the prestigious clay-court season on the ATP Tour, setting the stage for thrilling tennis ahead.
