MONACO, (Reuters) – Fourth seed David Ferrer opened his claycourt season in emphatic fashion with a 6-2 6-0 trouncing of fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters yesterday.
Ferrer, who had a first-round bye, displayed the potency of his serve at the picturesque Monte Carlo Country Club nestled between the cliffs and the Mediterranean Sea when he fired down three aces in a row to take a 5-0 lead in the second set.
Lopez looked demoralised on the tight Court des Princes, staring down at the red clay in disbelief while also seemingly troubled by a shoulder problem.
France’s Richard Gasquet also eased into round three with a 6-2 6-1 win over another Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who summed up his display when he double faulted twice in a row in the first set having just sent a smash long.
World number one Rafael Nadal starts his quest for a record seventh straight title here when he takes on Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen later on Wednesday while faltering Andy Murray plays Radek Stepanek.
Roger Federer went through on Tuesday but world number two Novak Djokovic opted to skip the event because of a knee problem.
