Monte Carlo Masters: Simon bows out on first day
Simon was broken by the Spaniard early on and would not recover, losing the opener 6-3, before a break put Bautista-Agut ahead in the second. Simon would level, and then the players traded breaks, before the world number 52 took the tie-break to six. Simon was not the only seed to go out, with Fabio Fognini coming through an all-Italian battle with the 15th-ranked Andreas Seppi, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Ninth seed Marin Cilic went through, seeing off Horacio Zeballos in three sets, while big-serving Milos Raonic dropped just five games in getting the better of Julien Benneteau.
France’s Benoit Paire was a winner over Ivan Dodig and Jarko Nieminen saw off Victor Troicki, while other first-round games brought about victories for Nikolay Davydenko and Mikhail Youzhny. In qualifying, Pablo Andujar and Edouard Roger-Vasselin secured wins.
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Hide AdRafael Nadal is the defending champion – he starts later in the week – and is chasing a staggering ninth trophy in a row in the principality. He is seeded number three. Andy Murray will start his campaign tomorrow.