By Alberto Amalfi | Sunday, April 15, 2018
Monte-Carlo resident Mischa Zverev scored a 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-1 triumph over Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime earning his first win in the Principality.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Mischa Zverev made a convincing close to realize a milestone Monte-Carlo homecoming.
The left-handed Zverev, who lives in Monte-Carlo, scored his first win in the Principality with a 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-1 triumph over talented Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime in his Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters opener.
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A year after losing his Monte-Carlo main-draw debut, Zverev relied on his sharp transition skills and compact volleys to close at net.
Zverev converted six of 14 break points in a two hour, 34-minute victory.
Zverev will play seventh-seeded Lucas Pouille in the second round.
On a day in which three main-draw singles matches and the final qualifying-round matches were contested, Karen Khachanov denied Thanasi Kokkinakis, 7-5, 6-4, to reach the second round.
Australian wild card Kokkinakis upset Roger Federer in Miami last month and encountere all sorts of obstacles today.
The 21-year-old Khachanov, who defeated Pouille to win his second career title in Marseille earlier this year, raised his record to 13-7 on the season.
The powerful Russian will play the winner of the all-French battle between wild card Gilles Simon and 16th seeded Adrian Mannarino next.