A COUPLE of out-of-form top 10 players were among the first round casualties on day one of the 2020 ATP Rome Masters fantasy tennis tournament. Both world number nine, Gael Monfils and world number 10, Roberto Bautista-Agut suffered losses on the opening day, whilst the other results went to plan for the favourites.

Since reaching the Munich Open final, Bautista-Agut has suffered back-to-back losses in Madrid and now Rome which will almost certainly see him tumble out of the top 10. He lost to Brit Kyle Edmund in three sets, 3-6 6-2 6-4 after having a strong start to the match. Monfils went down in another disappointing loss, losing to Norwegian Casper Ruud in straight sets, 7-6 6-3.

It was better news for the two other seeds, with red-hot Nikoloz Basilashvili triumphing in a come-from-behind win over Croatia’s Marin Cilic, while Italian Matteo Berrettini lived up to his 14th seeding with a 6-3 6-2 victory against Serbian qualifier, Laslo Djere. The only other three-set match of the day was between Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene, with the former getting up in a come-from-behind victory, 4-6 6-2 6-1.

The remaining matches all lasted the two sets, with Canadian duo Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov giving the North American nation hope heading into the second round after wins against Pablo Carreno Busta and Philipp Kohlschreiber respectively. Serbian duo Filip Krajinovic and Dusan Lajovic made up for Djere’s loss by booking a spot in the next round with wins over French duo Benoit Paire and Lucas Pouille respectively.

The sole Frenchman to win on the day was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who triumphed over Australian Alex de Minaur, whilst clay court talents Cristian Garin and Fabio Fognini both moved through to the next round. Garin knocked out another Frenchman in Adrian Mannarino 6-2 7-5, whilst Fognini blitzed the usually competitive Jan-Lennard Struff 6-2 6-0.

In tomorrow’s action, 11th seed David Goffin is the highest ranked player out on court when he takes on Borna Coric, whilst other seeds, Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov and Stan Wawrinka play their first matches of the tournament.

ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

Casper Ruud (NOR) defeated [9] Gael Monfils (FRA) 7-6 6-3
Kyle Edmund (GBR) defeated [10] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 3-6 6-2 6-4
[13] Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) defeated Marin Cilic (CRO) 5-7 7-5 7-5
[14] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) defeated [Q] Laslo Djere (SRB) 6-3 6-2
Milos Raonic (CAN) defeated Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 7-6 6-2
Denis Shapovalov (CAN) defeated [Q] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-2 6-4
Filip Krajinovic (SRB) defeated Benoit Paire (FRA) 6-3 6-3
Kei Nishikori (JPN) defeated [Q] Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 4-6 6-2 6-1
Cristian Garin (CHI) defeated Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 6-2 7-5
Fabio Fognini (ITA) defeated Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-2 6-0
Dusan Lajovic (SRB) defeated [WC] Lucas Pouille (FRA) 6-2 6-3
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) defeated Alex de Minaur (AUS) 6-1 6-4