Milos Raonic made a strong start to his Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters campaign on Monday, defeating Italian wild card Marco Cecchinato 6-3, 7-5 on Court Ranier III.
Reflecting on his performance, Raonic said, “I think I did some things well. I stepped up and I played aggressive when I needed to. But I let myself fall into a little bit too much of a defensive pattern where I was playing a little too far back. It didn't allow me to use my game to dictate. I was a little bit more reactive rather than proactive.
“Other than that, I have to be happy that I gave myself another chance to play better in two days. I believe, and will keep fighting for this tournament.”
Monaco resident Raonic is coming off a very successful March, which saw him reach the final in Indian Wells (l. to Djokovic) and the quarter-finals in Miami (l. to Kyrgios). The Canadian has reached the quarter-finals at the Monte-Carlo Country Club the past two years.
Dominic Thiem had to dig deep for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff. The 12th-seeded Austrian was the form player on clay in February, winning the title in Buenos Aires, where he beat Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, and reaching the semi-finals in Rio de Janeiro (l. to Pella).
France’s Benoit Paire saved one match point as he battled past Inigo Cervantes 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(6). The 16th seed was on the brink of defeat as he served at 5-6, 30/40 in the deciding set, but rallied to go on and win in the eventual tie-break.
Paire was joined in the second round by Lucas Pouille, who won an all-French contest with Nicolas Mahut, 7-6(1), 6-3. Wild card Pouille set a second-round clash with Richard Gasquet after claiming his sixth win of the season. The 22 year old is coming off a fourth-round showing in Miami (l. to Simon).
