shock return for Djokovic, great Italy with Sonego and Musetti

Bitter debut, after almost two months away from the tennis courts, for Novak Djokovic at the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo. The Serbian gives in to the Spaniard Davidovich Fokina with a score of 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1. Lights and shadows for Italy, with Sonego and Musetti who both enter the second round: the first gets rid of Ivashka 6-3, 6-3, the second fight to overcome the French Paire 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-2. Outside instead Fognini: Pesante 6-3, 6-0 from Greco Tsitsipas.

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DJOKOVIC-DAVIDOVICH FOKINA 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1
A bitter return for Novak Djokovic after almost two months of absence from the tennis courts in this very special 2022 for the Serbian tennis player. After having played only three games in the season, all in Dubai in February, the world number 1 appears on the red clay of Monte Carlo among several unknowns and in the end gives in surprise to the Spaniard Davidovich Fokina (n.46 in the ranking). Nole is rusty and you can see it right from the start: the Serbian loses his serve three times in the first set, showing great limits especially with the first. Davidovich Fokina takes advantage of this and takes courage by taking the lead 3-0 also in the second. It seems made for the Iberian, but Djokovic’s outburst of pride leads him to recover the break from behind and to conquer an unexpected tie-break: here Nole returns to what he used to be and two points from defeat he gives his best by equalizing the count an even set. At this point Nole seems to be the favorite in the third, but the number 1 in the world returns to see the ghosts, collapses physically (the fault of the few games in the legs) and in a flash Davidovich Fokina finds himself in the round of 16 after three grueling hours.

SONEGO-IVASHKA 6-3, 6-3
Easy debut for Lorenzo Sonego in Montecarlo: the blue, who boasts the quarter-finals in the Principality in 2019, beats Belarusian Ilya Ivashka, number 44 in the world, with a clear 6-3, 6-3. Match always in control for the Piedmontese who in the first set breaks the opponent’s serve in the fourth game, then in the second set he gets the break in the first game paving the way to an easy victory and without conceding any break points in the whole match . In the next round Sonego faces Djere.

MUSETTI-PAIR 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-2
The other Lorenzo of Italian tennis, Musetti, suffers much more, but in the end even the Carrarino manages to reach the second round against Auger-Aliassime (seeded number 6). Against the unpredictable Frenchman Benoit Paire, Musetti starts strong and easily wins the first set, in the second the fight starts and the blue cancels seven set points before conquering the tie-break- Inertia seems on his side, but he is the transalpine to prevail 7 points to 4 and drag the game to the third: here the fluctuating Paire returns, however, to make several mistakes and Musetti thanks him by closing again without problems and always 6-2.

TSITSIPAS-FOGNINI 6-3, 6-0
Instead, the third Italian engaged today in the second round in Montecarlo comes out badly. Fabio Fognini is the author of a bad performance and in fact surrenders to the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, reigning champion in the Principality and third seed. The Ligurian, who triumphed here in 2019, first loses concentration and then the game, paying as often happens a mental stability that is not always constant. Under 3-0 at the start of the game, Fabio is good at recovering, but then collapses again. The break in the first game of the second set is a condemnation for the blue, Tsitsipas takes advantage of it, the second break arrives and the match slips away in the blink of an eye making the Hellenic snatch the pass for the second round.

See also

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