Wawrinka, Thiem off the mark in Monte Carlo

MONTE CARLO: The 2014 Monte Carlo Masters winner Stan Wawrinka was full of relief Monday to get past the first round as Russian qualifier Ivan Gakhov secured a date with world number one Novak Djokovic.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka has slipped to 90th in the ATP rankings but secured his second-round ticket with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Tallon Griekspoor. Also past the first hurdle in this warm-up for the French Open were 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and Dominic Thiem.

But Andy Murray’s participation in the Principality ended prematurely with the Scottish wild card despatched 6-1, 6-3 by Australian 14th seed Alex de Minaur. Gakhov’s reward for edging past American Mackenzie McDonald 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 6-3 was a Tuesday second-round date with Djokovic, a David and Goliath clash with almost 200 rungs in the rankings between the pair. The Serb has not hit a shot in anger since losing his semi-final in Dubai at the start of March to Daniil Medvedev.

Forced to miss the American swing in Indian Well and Miami due to his anti-Covid vaccination stance Djokovic said on Sunday he was “motivated” to hit the clay-court season running as he targets a 23rd Grand Slam at Roland Garros.

His path to a third Monte Carlo title has been smoothed by the absences due to injury of 11-time champion Rafael Nadal and Spanish teenage star Carlos Alcaraz. Wawrinka, who next faces American eighth seed Taylor Fritz, said “it’s great to be here” after his defeat of Griekspoor.