ATP Monte Carlo

Roger Federer Onward to Monte-Carlo Masters round of 16

Roger Federer returned after suffering a bath-related knee injury following the 2016 Australian Open.

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Four-time Monte-Carlo finalist Roger Federer returns for the first time following surgery.
Four-time Monte-Carlo finalist Roger Federer returns for the first time following surgery.

World no. 3 Roger Federer returned for his first match following a knee injury sustained at the 2016 Australian Open that required arthroscopic surgery. The unlikely meniscus tear came outside the courts while preparing a bath for his daughters. His return started on favorable terms as he dominated world no. 38 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 6-4 in the round of 32 at Monte-Carlo. Federer now has a 4-0 record against Garcia-Lopez, dating all the way back to 2006.

The 34-year old Swiss star showed flashes of his old self, needing just one hour and fifteen minutes to dispose his opponent. The only hiccup of the match came during the second set. Up 5-1, Federer lost his serve to the Spaniard, who proceeded to win three consecutive games. He had to fight in the end to capture the win, dropping a ferocious right-hand smash on the hapless Garcia-Lopez.

“I think I got what I needed. So we’ll see how I feel tomorrow, tonight, the next day,” said the four-time Monte-Carlo finalist. He keeps his hopes alive for a first ever tournament championship. Roger Federer lost three consecutive finals against Rafael Nadal in 2006, 2007, and 2008. More recently, he lost to countryman Stan Wawrinka in the 2014 final.

Federer will face world no. 17 Roberto Bautista Agut in the next round. The Spaniard defeated local talent, world no. 33 Jeremy Chardy, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 in their round of 32 match. He holds a 4-0 record against Bautista Agut, who lost twice to Federer last year at the Cincinnati Masters and the ATP Wimbledon Draw.

Eight-time Monte-Carlo champion Rafael Nadal is also through to round 3.
Eight-time Monte-Carlo champion Rafael Nadal is also through to round 3.

Meanwhile world no. 5 Rafael Nadal is also through to round 3 after taking the United Kingdom’s world no. 60 Aljaz Bedene. The 26-year old Bedene fell in straight sets against the eight-time Monte-Carlo champion 6-3, 6-3. Nadal will have world no. 14 Dominic Thiem as his next opponent. Thiem moves on after winning dominating the final two sets, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 against world no. 90 Taro Daniel. The pair of Nadal and Thiem stands even after two career meetings. Thiem holds the most recent win against the Spaniard by defeating him in the 2016 Argentina Open.

2014 champion Stan Wawrinka is looking to hoist the trophy at Monte-Carlo once again as he powers past world no. 28 Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets 7-6(2), 7-5. Wawrinka will be tested by world no. 18 Gilles Simon in the next round. The French native routed world no. 26 Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3. Simon has a competitive against Wawrinka, only down one match to the world no. 4 in five meetings.

World no. 7 Tomas Berdych is upset by world no. 99 Damir Dzumhur.
World no. 7 Tomas Berdych is upset by world no. 99 Damir Dzumhur.

World no. 7 Tomas Berdych suffers an upset defeat against world no. 99 Damir Dzumhur. The 23-year old Dzumhur notches his first win against Berdych with a scrappy three set victory 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-3. Heading into the match, Berdych has won twice against Dzumhur at Doha in 2016 and the Australian Open in 2014. Dzumhur will be tested by 2016 BNP Paribas finalist Milos Raonic, who outlasted world no. 25 Pablo Cuevas 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(5). The world no. 12 Raonic heads into the matchup against Dzumhur having won their first and only matchup in the round of 16 at Miami this year.