By Alberto Amalfi | Monday, August 10, 2015

 

Thomas Bellucci squeezed out a 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 decision over Pablo Cuevas to set up a Montreal second-round match with Novak Djokovic.

Photo credit: Valeriano Di Domenico/Swiss Open Gstaad

Gael Monfils and Fabio Fognini are two of the most entertaining players in the game, but their third career hard-court meeting was largely a one-man show tonight.

Monfils dismissed the wounded Italian, 6-3, 6-1, in a 63-minute Rogers Cup opener.

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The pair had split six prior matches, but Fognini, playing with taping on his left calf and a creaky right wrist after his run to the Hamburg final, offered little resistance. Lacking the explosive first step, he couldn't run with Monfils, who saved all six break points he faced in the first set.

The 15th-seeded Frenchman zapped an ace to close. Monfils will meet Gilles Muller in the second round.

Thomas Bellucci squeezed out a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4) decision over Pablo Cuevas.

The 33rd-ranked Brazilian advanced to a second-round match with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. The top seed was a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 victor over Bellucci in their last clash in the Rome round of 16 last May.

In an all-American qualifier clash, Donald Young defeated Denis Kudla, 6-3, 6-4. It was Young's second straight opening round win after eight consecutive first-round losses. The left-hander will play No. 5 seeded Tomas Berdych next.

Ivo Karlovic thumped 18 aces in a 6-4, 7-6 (6) decision over Jerzy Janowicz. Karlovic advances to a second-round match with Canadian No. 1 Milos Raonic in what will be a server's shootout beneath the lights on Tuesday.

In an all-Spanish opener, Tommy Robredo held off Feliciano Lopez, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. The world No. 22 will resume his rivalry with second-seeded Andy Murray tomorrow night. In their last meeting, Murray fought off Robredo, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (8), in a thrilling 2014 Valencia final capped with a memorable post-match handshake.



Ninth-seeded Gilles Simon swept Andreas Seppi, 6-2, 6-4, and will face either Viktor Troicki or qualifier Mikhail Youzhny next.

Three-time former champion Rafael Nadal will open against Sergiy Stakhovsky , who was a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 victor over Canadian wild card Filip Peliwo.

Sam Querrey won 25 of 28 first-serve points in a 6-3, 6-3 decision against Martin Klizan. Querrey will play compatriot Steve Johnson or 13th-seeded Belgian David Goffin in the second round.