In the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters, British tennis players Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans faced disappointing defeats.
Cameron Norrie, the British number one, encountered a tough challenge against 15th seed Karen Khachanov. Despite putting up a spirited fight, Norrie succumbed to a straight-sets loss, with Khachanov clinching victory with a scoreline of 7-5, 7-6 (7-3).
Norrie showed resilience throughout the match, even holding two set points to level the contest, but Khachanov proved too strong in crucial moments. The Russian’s dominance in the tie-break sealed Norrie’s fate.
Meanwhile, Dan Evans endured a difficult outing against Austria’s Sebastian Ofner. Evans, ranked 50th in the world, struggled to find his rhythm on the clay court, ultimately falling 6-1, 6-4 to Ofner.
Despite a valiant effort, Evans failed to capitalize on early opportunities, including two break points in the opening game. Ofner’s consistent performance allowed him to secure a comfortable victory over the British player.
For Norrie, the loss means an early exit from the tournament, while Evans continues to seek consistency on the ATP Tour this year.
The Monte Carlo Masters is part of the prestigious ATP Masters series, showcasing top-tier tennis talent on the clay courts. Both Norrie and Evans will look to regroup and bounce back stronger in their upcoming matches.
In the next round, Karen Khachanov will face Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, while Jack Draper is set to take on Poland’s 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz.
Credit: BBC Sport
