GB’s Draper cruises into Monte Carlo third round
Jack Draper is the first British top-five seed at an ATP Masters 1000 event since Andy Murray in Rome in 2017
Harry Poole
BBC Sport journalist
British number one Jack Draper produced a commanding performance in his first clay court match of the season to reach the Monte Carlo Masters third round.
New world number six Draper needed just 61 minutes to defeat American Marcos Giron 6-1 6-1 and match his best result at a clay-court ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Draper is looking to build on his impressive start to the year, having claimed the Indian Wells title in March.
The 23-year-old, recipient of a first-round bye in Monte Carlo, will face Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry for a place in the quarter-finals.
Draper has struggled on clay in the past but was in unstoppable form against Giron, hitting five aces and 21 winners to his opponent’s nine.
The fifth seed saved a couple of break points in the third game of the match before steadily overpowering his 45th-ranked opponent.
After reeling off five straight games to seal the opening set, Draper did not relent in the second and closed out an excellent victory with another five-game streak.
Berrettini ends Zverev’s hopes of top ranking
Earlier, former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini battled back from a set down to knock out German top seed Alexander Zverev.
Defeat for second-ranked Zverev means that Jannik Sinner is guaranteed to remain as world number one when he returns from his three-month doping ban at the Italian Open in May.
Zverev twice broke Berrettini’s serve in a commanding opening set but the Italian seized his first opportunity of the match in set two to force a decider.
Berrettini served for the match at 5-3 in the third, but Zverev responded with a good return game to level the set.
However, Berrettini broke once again and held his nerve to serve out a tense 68-minute third set.
Following the biggest win of his career by ranking, Berrettini awaits either compatriot Lorenzo Musetti or Czech Jiri Lehecka in round three.
Also on Tuesday, defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas came back from a set down to beat Australian Jordan Thompson 4-6 6-4 6-2.
