• Monte Carlo Masters

Verdasco wins Rochus tussle to progress

Fernando Verdasco © PA Photos

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Fernando Verdasco showed signs of a return to form as he recovered from a sluggish start to book his place in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Verdasco, who reached the final at the Monte Carlo Country Club in 2010, won just one match in three Masters events on clay last year as he slipped outside the world's top 20. He looked set to be heading for another early exit when Olivier Rochus grabbed two early breaks, but rallied to claim a 4-6 6-2 7-5 victory.

Rochus suffered a quad injury during Belgium's Davis Cup victory over Great Britain a week ago, but he showed no signs of a problem as capitalised on an unsteady start from Verdasco, grabbing two quick breaks to race to a 3-0 lead. Although Verdasco began to find his range, he was unable to find a way back into the opening set.

Verdasco has struggled for form this season, falling in the opening round of the Australian Open, but he responded positively, breaking his opponent twice in the second set to level the match. The contest looked to be heading for a decisive tiebreak after 13 games went with serve, but Verdasco broke his opponent in the final game to secure the victory.

Another seed in action on Monday, No. 16 Alexandr Dolgopolov, had an altogether more straightforward passage into the next round - seeing off Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2 6-2.

Donald Young's woeful form continued as he was thrashed in straight sets by Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu. Mathieu, ranked more than 300 places below the American, needed a little over an hour to cruise to a 6-0 6-1 victory and condemn Young to a sixth straight defeat.

Also through to the second round is Australian Bernard Tomic, who got the better of Denis Istomin 6-4 6-3, while Jurgen Melzer progressed with a 6-2 7-5 win over Lukasz Kubot.

Elsewhere, Julian Benneteau got the better of Marcel Granollers after something of a tussle, 6-3 3-6 6-2, while Albert Montanes disposed of Milos Raonic 6-2 3-6 6-3.

Philipp Kohlschreiber put in a professional display to edge qualifier Guillaume Rufin 6-4 6-4, as Jarko Nieminen stopped Radek Stepanek 6-3 7-6(3).

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