The French number 1 Richard Gasquet (43rd in the world) was overwhelmed by the Austrian Dominic Thiem (106th) who won 6-1, 6-4, Monday in the first round of the Masters 1000 of Monte-Carlo. The Austrian, recipient of an invitation to the Monegasque tournament, had not won a match in the Masters 1000 for two years.
The standoff only lasted two games in the first round of the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo: 23 minutes after the start of the game, the Austrian Dominique Thiem converted his eighth break point to lead 2-0 and make cede the defense of Richard Gasquet. Led 5-0, the French scored a game before conceding the first set on an ace. In the second set, the Austrian broke to lead 2-1 and was never threatened again.
The double finalist of Roland-Garros (2018 and 2019) and winner of the US Open 2020, fallen to 106th in the world and beneficiary of an invitation for the Monegasque tournament, will face the Dane Holger Rune (8th) for a place in the round of 16. final. The Austrian Dominic Thiem, former 3rd in the world, thus won Monday in Monte-Carlo at the expense of the French Richard Gasquet (43rd) his first match in Masters 1000 for almost two years.
Since May 2021…
His last victory in a Masters 1000 tournament dates back to May 2021 when he beat Marton Fucsovics for his start in Rome. He then fell to Lorenzo Sonego. Thiem thus signs his third victory of the season. He is trying to return to his best level after ten months of absence (between 2021 and 2022) to treat a wrist injury.
In the tricolor ranks, Benjamin Bonzi (48th) qualified for the second round on Monday by dismissing the Spaniard Bernabe Zapata (41st) 6-1, 7-5. He will face for a place in the round of 16 the double title holder Stefanos Tsitsipas (3rd). The third and last Frenchman in the running in the main draw, Ugo Humbert (79th), will play Tuesday against the Italian Lorenzo Sonego (45th) after pulling out of qualifying.