Stefanos Tsitsipas, the two-time defending champion, advanced to the third round of the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters.
Early in the match, his opponent, France's Benjamin Bonzi had to retire due to an injury during their second-round encounter. The Greek seeks a remarkable third consecutive title on the famed clay courts of Monte Carlo.
Tsitsipas displayed impeccable form from the outset, breaking Bonzi's serve in the second game of the match. His powerful groundstrokes and precise serves kept the Frenchman on the back foot, leading to a commanding 4-1 lead just 22 minutes into the encounter. However, Bonzi's retirement due to an undisclosed injury cut short what could have been a good match.
Tsitsipas himself had to deal with injury struggles only recently, but ahead of the first clay-court ATP 1000 tournament, he admitted that he's feeling 100% fine.
As Tsitsipas marches forward in the tournament, he is set to face either Nicolas Jarry or Alexei Popyrin in the next round. With his exceptional record on clay and previous triumphs in 2021 and 2022, the Greek is considered a strong favorite to advance again.
However, the path to a historic three-peat may not be smooth sailing for Tsitsipas. World number one Novak Djokovic also progressed to the third round with a comfortable win, setting up a potential blockbuster final between the two tennis titans.
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