Dimitrov makes a successful Monte Carlo debut

Grigor Dimitrov made it through the 1st round without a hitch on the clay courts of Monte-Carlo. Now ranked 9th in the world thanks to his recent final in Miami, he managed his transition from hard to clay perfectly. For his first match, the Bulgarian beat Valentin Vacherot of Monaco, ranked 138th in the world and invited by the organizers, in an hour and a half and two sets (7-5, 6-2). He will meet Matteo Berrettini or Miomir Kecmanovic in the 2nd round.

Against Vacherot, Dimitrov first lost his serve in the very first game of the match. Probably just enough time to get the mechanics going. He made up the deficit in the very next game, and was never really in danger on his serve for the rest of the match. Three more breaks enabled him to take the first set (7-5) and then to calmly unroll his tennis in the second (6-2).