With sweat and a lot of effort, Albert Ramos qualified this Monday for the second round of the Masters 1,000 in Monte Carlo. The Catalan, who lost last year to the first exchange against the Italian Jannik Sinner, beat Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in 2h19 and will face the British Cameron Norrie, seeded seventh.
Ramos, finalist in 2017 (he fell to Nadal), imposed his greatest experience and category on clay against a 25-year-old rival and 58th in the world, who was debuting in the tournament and that he had never faced before. To do so he had to live with constant break threats on most of his serves. In the first set, he had to save break balls in four games, although he had the audacity to convert two to the rest against a Griekspoor who scored 85% of the first in the initial round.
The second was complicated for the Spaniard, who had two breaks against him that were very difficult to overcome against an opponent with a good physique and remarkable defensive capacity. He tried to come back, but he had no choice but to face a third set in which he came out determined not to go through so much trouble. He got it with good serves, some open, and with his drive, one of the most effective on the circuit on clay.
Carreño avoids the surprise of Báez
Pablo Carreño, whose best result in Monte Carlo was the third round that he reached in 2014, 2017 and 2021, went to the second on Monday after beating Sebastián Báez with some trouble, who was about to surprise the number 13 seed. The man from Gijón reacted after conceding a break in the third set and won by 6-4, 4-6 and 6-2 in 2h11. He will face Kazakh Alexander Bublik, whom he beat three years ago in the Chengdu final and six years ago in Moscow. It will be his first duel on clay.
Carreño had never met the 21-year-old emerging Argentine and 66th in the world. In addition, he had just conceded two tough losses in which he lost three match points against Munar in Indian Wells and five against Sinner in Miami.. But when the match with Báez, who made his debut in the tournament, looked the worst for him, the Spaniard reacted, regaining his intensity and precision in hittingand bravely attacked to give his rival a 6-1 run after losing his serve in the first game of the third set.
Zapata and Munar, eliminated
The joy of qualifying for the main draw did not last long for Jaume Munar and Bernabé Zapata, because both fell in the first round on Monday. The Mallorcan lost against the rocky Argentine Federico Delbonis (6-4, 3-6 and 6-4), whom he had beaten in two of their previous three clashes. And the Valencian could not overcome the difference that separates him in the ranking (25 against 123) from Alex de Miñaur. The Australian won 6-3, 6-4.
Bautista out due to wrist discomfort
The joy of Albert Ramos’ triumph contrasts with the disappointment of Roberto Bautista’s withdrawal from the Monte Carlo tournament. Bautista will not be able to participate in the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 due to discomfort in his wrist. These prevented him from playing without pain and in conditions. The tennis player hopes to recover soon and resume competition next week at the ATP 500 in Barcelona.
Results of the Masters 1,000 of Montecarlo.