Herbert/Mahut Advance, Tsitsipas Brothers Save 2 M.P.
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut made a winning start to their Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title bid on Tuesday with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Simone Bolelli and Jannik Sinner.
The 2016 champions won 90 per cent of their first-serve points (28/31) to move past their Italian rivals in 75 minutes. Herbert and Mahut are attempting to capture their first title of the season in Monte-Carlo. The Frenchmen own a 7-3 team record in 2021.
In a match played across two days due to rain, Petros Tsitsipas and Stefanos Tsitsipas saved two match points to eliminate eighth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Horia Tecau 7-6(4), 3-6, 11-9. Play resumed on Tuesday with the Tsitsipas brothers holding a 6-3 lead and, after dropping the second set, the Greeks were forced to save two match points from 7/9 in the match Tie-break to reach the next round.
Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury recovered from a set down to beat Marcelo Melo and Jean-Julien Rojer 4-6, 6-1, 10-8. The fifth seeds will next face Raven Klaasen and Ben McLachlan, who held their nerves to beat Alex de Minaur and John Peers 7-6(3), 3-6, 11-9.
Sixth seeds Wesley Koolhof and Lukasz Kubot also claimed their spot in the second round with a 7-6(2), 6-3 win against Adrian Mannarino and Benoit Paire.